How To Make Your Room Dark

Updated November 8, 2023

Fact-Checked

The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias.

The Sleep Foundation fact-checking guidelines are as follows:

We only cite reputable sources when researching our guides and articles. These include peer-reviewed journals, government reports, academic and medical associations, and interviews with credentialed medical experts and practitioners.
All scientific data and information must be backed up by at least one reputable source. Each guide and article includes a comprehensive bibliography with full citations and links to the original sources.
Some guides and articles feature links to other relevant Sleep Foundation pages. These internal links are intended to improve ease of navigation across the site, and are never used as original sources for scientific data or information.
A member of our medical expert team provides a final review of the content and sources cited for every guide, article, and product review concerning medical- and health-related topics. Inaccurate or unverifiable information will be removed prior to publication.
Plagiarism is never tolerated. Writers and editors caught stealing content or improperly citing sources are immediately terminated, and we will work to rectify the situation with the original publisher(s)
Although Sleep Foundation maintains affiliate partnerships with brands and e-commerce portals, these relationships never have any bearing on our product reviews or recommendations. Read our full Advertising Disclosure for more information.

Up-to-Date

Table of Contents

Cover Windows
Mind the Gap
Wear an Eye Mask
Stow Away Electronics
Dim the Lights
Consider Nighttime Needs

Each of us possesses an internal clock—also called the circadian rhythm—which controls our natural sleep-wake cycle. Circadian rhythm cues us to feel awake during the day and sleepy at night. Light is the most important external factor Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source affecting readiness for sleep. Before the advent of electricity, humans woke and slept in sync with the rising and setting of the sun, but now lights in our homes, electronics, and light pollution outside have made the relationship between light and sleep much more complex.

Certain physical processes help to prepare the body for sleep. In response to darkness, the pineal gland begins to produce melatonin. Melatonin is a serotonin-derived hormone that promotes sleepiness. However, exposure to light blocks the production Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source of melatonin. When this happens before bed or during sleep, it can interfere with the sleep-wake cycle.

Exposure to light at night may also be linked with health conditions such as depression Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , anxiety Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , and obesity Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . Fortunately, good sleep hygiene and a dark bedroom environment can promote sufficient, restorative sleep. To get your best night’s sleep, try the following tips for eliminating light sources in your bedroom and avoiding bright lights before bed.

Cover Windows

Light from the sun and moon, as well as security lights or street lights, can enter the bedroom through windows. If your blinds or curtains do not block outside light sufficiently, you might consider investing in blackout curtains. Covering the window with aluminum foil is a low-cost alternative that also blocks outdoor light.

Mind the Gap

The gap between the door and the floor is another potential source of light at night. Turn off hallway lights before going to bed, or place a rolled-up towel against your door gap to block light from entering.

Wear an Eye Mask

If it’s not possible to block light from entering your room, or if you prefer not to, wearing an eye mask might help. Keep in mind that you need to keep the eye mask on throughout the night in order for it to be effective in preventing your exposure to light. Research suggests that light penetrates the eyelids and, in doing so, inhibits melatonin production Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .

Stow Away Electronics

Although the temptation to use them might be strong, it’s best to put your cell phone, laptop, and tablet away at least 30 minutes before bed to promote quality sleep. The use of electronic devices before bed is associated with increased sleep issues and poorer quality sleep. Take a look around your bedroom environment to identify all sources of light, such as digital clocks, charging stations, and other electronics. Cover up these lights, or store them outside the bedroom.

Dim the Lights

Research has shown that being in a fully lit room prior to going to sleep results in delayed and shortened Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source production of melatonin compared to dim lighting. Try switching from bright overhead lights to dim ambient lighting in your home during the hours leading up to bedtime.

Consider Nighttime Needs

You may need to use the bathroom or get a drink of water in the middle of the night. Rather than turning on overhead lights to illuminate your pathway, you could install motion-sensor nightlights. It’s important to have enough light so that you can safely make your way through your home, but limiting the amount of light you are exposed to can mitigate disruption to sleep and help you fall asleep again more quickly.

Still have questions? Ask our community!

Join our Sleep Care Community — a trusted hub of sleep health professionals, product specialists, and people just like you. Whether you need expert sleep advice for your insomnia or you’re searching for the perfect mattress, we’ve got you covered. Get personalized guidance from the experts who know sleep best.

Written By

Alexa Fry, Senior Health Editor

Alexa Fry is a science writer with experience working for the National Cancer Institute. She also holds a certificate in technical writing.

Medically Reviewed by

John DeBanto, Internal Medicine Physician MD

Dr. DeBanto is a medical doctor and gastroenterologist with 20 years of experience in obesity management and related issues such as sleep apnea.

Learn more about our Editorial Team

References
7 Sources

Blume, C., Garbazza, C., & Spitschan, M. (2019). Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie : Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin = Somnology : sleep research and sleep medicine, 23(3), 147–156.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31534436/
Masters, A., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Seixas, A., Girardin, J. L., & McFarlane, S. I. (2014). Melatonin, the Hormone of Darkness: From Sleep Promotion to Ebola Treatment. Brain disorders & therapy, 4(1), 1000151.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25705578/
Obayashi, K., Saeki, K., & Kurumatani, N. (2018). Bedroom Light Exposure at Night and the Incidence of Depressive Symptoms: A Longitudinal Study of the HEIJO-KYO Cohort. American journal of epidemiology, 187(3), 427–434.
https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/187/3/427/4056592
Paksarian, D., Rudolph, K. E., Stapp, E. K., Dunster, G. P., He, J., Mennitt, D., Hattar, S., Casey, J. A., James, P., & Merikangas, K. R. (2020). Association of Outdoor Artificial Light at Night With Mental Disorders and Sleep Patterns Among US Adolescents. JAMA psychiatry, e201935. Advance online publication.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32639562/
Nelson, R. J., & Chbeir, S. (2018). Dark matters: effects of light at night on metabolism. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(3), 223–229.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29747703/
Figueiro, M. G., & Rea, M. S. (2012). Preliminary evidence that light through the eyelids can suppress melatonin and phase shift dim light melatonin onset. BMC research notes, 5, 221.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22564396/
Gooley, J. J., Chamberlain, K., Smith, K. A., Khalsa, S. B., Rajaratnam, S. M., Van Reen, E., Zeitzer, J. M., Czeisler, C. A., & Lockley, S. W. (2011). Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens melatonin duration in humans. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 96(3), E463–E472.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21193540/