How to Make Your Room Darker During the Day

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Blacking out windows and other light sources for total darkness

Co-authored by Suzanne Lasky, ASID and Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: June 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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Covering Your Windows

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Blocking Additional Light Sources

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For the night owls among us, catching Zs can be tough in the middle of the day. Making your room darker by covering your windows and reducing ambient light sources can go a long way to getting a good rest. We’ll show you how to thoroughly cover your windows to darken your room and offer plenty more tips to make your room pitch black even during the day.

Things You Should Know

Install blackout shades and blackout curtains over your windows to block sunlight. Or, install blackout film or fabric to the window itself.
Turn off all the electronics in the room and cover any small light sources with painters tape. Also, use a sleep mask to achieve total darkness.
Rearrange your room so that your bed is away from any windows, and paint your room a darker color, like navy blue, to absorb ambient light.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Covering Your Windows

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1
Install blackout blinds or shades on your windows to block sunlight. Blackout blinds sit in your window frame and help prevent any light from entering the room.^{[1]
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Go to source} Measure and record the width and height of the inside of your window frames, then purchase blinds that are sized to those measurement, rounding down to the nearest ¹⁄₈ in (0.32 cm) to ensure a snug fit.^{[2]
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Research source} Install the blinds before adding anything else to your window, like curtains.
- Blackout blinds are effective, but work best when paired with blackout drapes.
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Mount blackout curtains above your windows for added darkness. Blackout curtains sit in front of your windows, and like blinds, prevent excess sunlight from seeping through.^{[3]
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Go to source} Install a curtain rod about 4 to 5 in (10 to 13 cm) above the window so the curtain covers the glass completely. Secure your blackout curtains to the curtain rod, double-checking that the material covers the entire window.^{[4]
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- Secure the edges and corners of the curtains to the wall with painter’s tape or command strips to reduce any light that may bleed through past the edges of the curtains.
- Use a double rod to hang multiple curtains, increasing their ability to block the light.
Tip: Tape a thick blanket over your window or drape it over a curtain rod if you don’t have any blackout equipment on hand. While this may not eliminate all the light coming in through the window, it’ll make a noticeable difference.

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Block out the windows with foil or blackout fabric to block sunlight. If you’d rather not fuss with hardware, add a layer of blackout fabric to your windows instead. A layer of aluminum foil also works well. Measure the dimensions of your window panes and trace these measurements onto a sheet of fabric or aluminum foil. Cut out the measured fabric and stick it in your window with a few strips of painter’s tape. If the fabric isn’t wide enough to cover the window, overlap several sections of fabric and secure them together with tape.
- Blackout film is similar to blackout fabric, but is an adhesive film applied directly to your windows after measuring and cutting it to size.
- If you don’t have foil, blackout fabric, or film, opt for black trash bags, cardboard, or something similarly opaque.
- Placing decor like potted plants or shelving in front of your windows also helps to intercept any light.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Blocking Additional Light Sources

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1
Turn off all electronics in the room. Look through your room for any devices that might glow during the night, like your phone, TV, or computer. Turn off or unplug any devices that you don’t use during the night—you can always plug them in again once you wake up!^{[5]
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Go to source}
- Or, simply flip your phone face-down so its light doesn’t bother you while it charges.
- For instance, turn your TV off completely instead of leaving it on a standby screen.
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Stick electrical tape over any light sources you can’t turn off. Look for light-up screens that are essential to your routine, or which you can’t turn off, like an alarm clock or a surge protector. Instead of unplugging the device, place strips of dark electrical tape over the lit-up areas to block their light.^{[6]
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Go to source} Remove the strips when you wake up so you can check the time again.
- This is a great solution for small, lit surfaces, like a fitness tracker that you’ve plugged in to charge.
- Or, place smaller items like watches in an opaque bag or box to hide them away.
Don’t leave anything to chance when you go to sleep—even if your room is dark, wearing a sleep mask helps to block out any extra light your eyes may be taking in. Put on the mask when you plan on going to sleep, which can make it easier to fall asleep during the day.^{[7]
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Go to source}
Take a thick, dark towel or a draft snake and secure it beneath the bottom of your door. Check that the snake or towel is snug, and that no light can get through the bottom of the door. This has the added benefit of dampening any noise that might filter in from other rooms.^{[8]
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Rearrange your bed to face away from any windows. Reposition your bed so you aren’t facing a window or other light source, or so that it’s as far away from any light sources as possible. Even if your windows are blocked out, you may have an easier time getting to sleep if your bed is facing a different direction.^{[9]
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Research source} Ask a friend or family member to lend a hand if your furniture is unwieldy.
- Also add room dividers around your bed to help seclude it and insulate it from any light sources.
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Paint your walls a darker color to absorb light. If you’re looking to make a long-term change, think about changing the wall color altogether. Dark colors tend to absorb more light than lighter colors.^{[10]
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Research source} This may help dissipate the light in the room. You could paint your walls black for the best effect, but consider darker hues of other colors in order to make the space more comfortable.^{[11]
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- For example, a dark red or brown may lend your bedroom a cozy feel. A dark or navy blue, on the other hand, may help you achieve an even darker atmosphere.
- If you can’t paint your walls, hang dark room tapestries or other dark-colored wall decor like posters or picture frames to absorb as much light as possible.

Expert Q&A

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How can I make my room blackout?

Suzanne Lasky, ASID
Interior Design Consultant
Suzanne Lasky is an Interior Designer and the Founder of S Interior Design, a design consulting company based in Scottsdale, Arizona specializing in new home builds, home remodels, and all related design options for residential and small business clients. Suzanne has over 19 years of interior design and consulting experience. She is an Allied Member of the ASID (American Society of Interior Designers). She earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Indiana University and an AAS in Interior Design from Scottsdale Community College.

Suzanne Lasky, ASID

Interior Design Consultant

Expert Answer

The most obvious is the functional window treatment layer. There are fabulous products on the market, they're called dual shades, and they have two layers, one being a blackout layer and one being a light filtering. So if you don't want to keep it at all times, but definitely need it super dark and blackout to sleep, that's the best. One of the best ways to do that is by multi-layering. If you're going for one layer, use room darkening, use blackout fabric on your window treatment, use outside mount, so there's no what's called light bleed on either side of the window.

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Question

How long will tin foil applied to window with water last?

Janice Tieperman

Community Answer

Try applying aluminum foil to your windows with painter’s tape! This may offer a more permanent solution.

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What if I don't have any money?

Community Answer

Items like foil can be purchased inexpensively at a dollar or discount store. You can also make a simple sleep mask with common household supplies by following the step-by-step instructions in this article on wikiHow.

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