Definition
Improve your sleep quality by sleeping in a room that is completely shed from light and noise pollution.
How to Do It
Sleep in a blacked out room with as little light as possible.
Benefits
- May improve sleep
- May Improve clarity and productivity
- May improve memory
- May improve overall health
Time Commitment
5-10 minutes
Why it works
- Melatonin production is optimal in complete darkness (1, 2).
- When sleep is optimal your brain gets maximum rest and is able to consolidate memories (3).
Suggested Frequency
1 time setup and then daily before bed.
Supporting Studies and Articles
- Gooley, J. J., Chamberlain, K., Smith, K. A., Khalsa, S. B. S., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., Van Reen, E., … 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://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2010-2098
- Boyce, P., & Kennaway, D. J. (1987). Effects of light on melatonin production. Biological Psychiatry, 22(4), 473–478. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(87)90169-7
- Zhou, J., Liu, D., Li, X., Ma, J., Zhang, J., & Fang, J. (2012). Pink noise: Effect on complexity synchronization of brain activity and sleep consolidation. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 306, 68–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.04.006
Gurus/Celebrities/Doing it
Arianna Huffington
Eminem
Suggested Time of Day
Nighttime
Notes
- Use this HuffPost guide to turn your room into a sleep cave: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-sleep-better-bedroom-tips_n_3673088
- To further enhance your sleep quality try to combine blackout sleeping with a sleep-cycle application. These apps wake you at the optimal time for you to awaken fresh and clear [LINK TO SLEEP CYCLE HABIT]
- Blackout sleeping is especially powerful in big cities where street lamps continuously shine light onto our bedrooms and where traffic noise is a constant disturbance.
- To enhance the effect, you can cancel out sound disturbances by creating so-called “pink noise” (an uninterrupted, steady sound) using a fan, a pink noise app, or specialized devices.
- For additional benefit keep room temperature cool when you sleep.
Video
Use this DIY YouTube tutorial to shield your windows from light: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JILy5vM8ofc
