Make your bedroom — Even small amounts of light at night suppress melatonin and disrupt sleep. Our team’s guide to blocking light from your bedroom — blockout curtains, masks, and the cheap fixes that work.
Hannah on our team has tested the lot — blockout curtains, sleep masks, blackout liners, even foil over a window for one desperate week of summer evenings. Here’s what actually works, in order of effort.
Why darkness matters (Make your bedroom)
Even low-level light at night (4–10 lux — roughly a streetlight through curtains) suppresses melatonin by an average of 23% and shifts circadian rhythm. Studies link light exposure during sleep to higher rates of obesity, depression and metabolic dysfunction.
The five-minute fix: a sleep mask
A contoured sleep mask blocks 100% of light at zero installation cost. Best for travel and rentals where you can’t modify the windows. See our pick of sleep masks.
Blockout curtains
The standard fix. Three-pass blockout curtains block 95–99% of light. Spotlight, IKEA and Pillow Talk all sell decent options for $80–$200 a pair. The trick is full coverage — curtains need to extend at least 30 cm wider than the window on each side and reach the floor. Light spilling around the edges defeats the purpose.
Curtain liners
If you can’t replace existing curtains (rental, sentiment, cost), a blockout curtain liner ($30–$60) hooks behind your existing curtain. Same effect, less elegant.
Window film
Static-cling blackout window film ($25–$50) sticks directly to the glass without adhesive. Removes cleanly. Good for bedrooms where curtains aren’t practical (e.g. behind built-in shelving). Not great-looking from outside the house.
Roller blinds
Blockout roller blinds ($60–$200) sit inside the window frame. Best paired with a curtain over the top — the gap at the side of the blind always lets a bit of light through.
The under-door problem
The biggest light leak is often under the bedroom door from a hall light. A door-bottom seal ($15–$30 from Bunnings) costs nothing and fixes it.
Electronic light
Standby LEDs on TVs, chargers, monitors and routers add up. A few pieces of electrical tape eliminate them. Better: move the devices out of the bedroom.
Total checklist
- Blockout curtains, full coverage to floor.
- Door-bottom seal.
- Tape over standby LEDs.
- No phone screen at face height.
- Sleep mask as belt-and-braces.
For independent guidance on sleep and wellbeing, the Sleep Health Foundation is a good starting point.
