The Experiment
There is a lot more ambient light in the the room than we actually think either with poor curtains, computer or phone chargers, or perhaps a little night light. Even the slightest amount of exposure to light can disturb the melatonin your body makes. By making it a habit to use an eye mask when you sleep, you drastically reduce light from going into your eyes which allows you to rest in the darkness. Try this easy experiment before going to sleep this evening to discover how much ambient light there is in your room, how sensitive your eyes are to it, and what you can do quickly to stop it from stifling your sleep.
What Do You Need?
Preparation First, place your mask and your alarm clock beside you and then set your it for at least fifteen minutes. This ensures that you won't fall asleep during the experiment!
Step 1 - How Sensitive Are You to Light? Turn off all the lights, lie down on the bed, and shut your eyes. Give your eyes 1-minute to recalibrate to the dark. Now be aware of any light that seeps to your eyes. I found that this is a nice gauge to determine how receptive you are to the light around you.
Step 2 - Measure the Effectiveness of Your Sleep Mask
With your eyes remaining closed, now put on your mask. What significant distinctions you notice with your mask in comparison to when you don't have it on? Do you notice any ambient light while wearing the mask? If so then it's likely you'll need a mask that better fits the shape of your face.
Take notes of your own responses to these questions. I would say write it down on your writing pad but that will require you to not only open your eyes but also require you to flip on your lights so you are able to see what you're writing and that would have to redo the experiment. So for the time being, just take notes and once you are done with the experiment you can record everything on a writing pad.
Step 3 - Identifying the Sources of Ambient Light
Remove your eye mask and open your eyes. Now your eyes should be calibrated with dark. Stare up at the ceiling and look for any background light in the room. It may be found everywhere in your room but some of the more typical places to find light are by the windows or door drafts. Once again, take mental notes of places in your room most abundant in light.
Step 4 - Record Your Observations
Now switch on your lights and write down all of your observations. Here are some questions to consider:
The Results
As a result of this experiment I discovered that my room had more light than I originally thought. One thing especially was my computer. I knew my Macbook emitted a steady pulse of white light in sleep mode but I never noticed how more apparent it was in a dark room.
Also I never realized that while my laptop was charging there was miniature beam of orange light that originated from the computer charger. A faint beam of light goes not noticed in the daytime but is amplified by more than a hundred times in a dark room. I found that the largest source of ambient light came from the street lights and my drapes weren't thoroughly keeping them out. They weren't closed completely and the textile was semi-transparent. I was able to see the light through my drapes.
Take Action! Some Suggestions It is now time to act. Go through your notes and start off with the quick fixes - these are the things that can be done immediately to totally get rid of the light in your room. Try flipping off your that night light of yours (if you have one) or unplugging your computer charger when it's not in use. Replacing your existing window curtains for thicker and opaque ones is usually expensive and difficult to physically change; at the same time, it is probably the best way of blocking out light. Using a good fitting eye mask will also prevent ambient light from getting into your eyes. Considering that they are very affordable and can be purchased almost anywhere, it is an essential item to include to everyone's sleep regimen.
There is a lot more ambient light in the the room than we actually think either with poor curtains, computer or phone chargers, or perhaps a little night light. Even the slightest amount of exposure to light can disturb the melatonin your body makes. By making it a habit to use an eye mask when you sleep, you drastically reduce light from going into your eyes which allows you to rest in the darkness. Try this easy experiment before going to sleep this evening to discover how much ambient light there is in your room, how sensitive your eyes are to it, and what you can do quickly to stop it from stifling your sleep.
What Do You Need?
- A Clock with an alarm
- Eye Mask or something to cover your eyes with
- Pen or Pencil
- Something to write on to jot your notes on
Preparation First, place your mask and your alarm clock beside you and then set your it for at least fifteen minutes. This ensures that you won't fall asleep during the experiment!
Step 1 - How Sensitive Are You to Light? Turn off all the lights, lie down on the bed, and shut your eyes. Give your eyes 1-minute to recalibrate to the dark. Now be aware of any light that seeps to your eyes. I found that this is a nice gauge to determine how receptive you are to the light around you.
Step 2 - Measure the Effectiveness of Your Sleep Mask
With your eyes remaining closed, now put on your mask. What significant distinctions you notice with your mask in comparison to when you don't have it on? Do you notice any ambient light while wearing the mask? If so then it's likely you'll need a mask that better fits the shape of your face.
Take notes of your own responses to these questions. I would say write it down on your writing pad but that will require you to not only open your eyes but also require you to flip on your lights so you are able to see what you're writing and that would have to redo the experiment. So for the time being, just take notes and once you are done with the experiment you can record everything on a writing pad.
Step 3 - Identifying the Sources of Ambient Light
Remove your eye mask and open your eyes. Now your eyes should be calibrated with dark. Stare up at the ceiling and look for any background light in the room. It may be found everywhere in your room but some of the more typical places to find light are by the windows or door drafts. Once again, take mental notes of places in your room most abundant in light.
Step 4 - Record Your Observations
Now switch on your lights and write down all of your observations. Here are some questions to consider:
- What is the major source of ambient light in your room?
- How sensitive are you to this light?
- Does covering your eyes with a mask mitigate light sensitivity?
- What else can you do to immediately to remove ambient light?
The Results
As a result of this experiment I discovered that my room had more light than I originally thought. One thing especially was my computer. I knew my Macbook emitted a steady pulse of white light in sleep mode but I never noticed how more apparent it was in a dark room.
Also I never realized that while my laptop was charging there was miniature beam of orange light that originated from the computer charger. A faint beam of light goes not noticed in the daytime but is amplified by more than a hundred times in a dark room. I found that the largest source of ambient light came from the street lights and my drapes weren't thoroughly keeping them out. They weren't closed completely and the textile was semi-transparent. I was able to see the light through my drapes.
Take Action! Some Suggestions It is now time to act. Go through your notes and start off with the quick fixes - these are the things that can be done immediately to totally get rid of the light in your room. Try flipping off your that night light of yours (if you have one) or unplugging your computer charger when it's not in use. Replacing your existing window curtains for thicker and opaque ones is usually expensive and difficult to physically change; at the same time, it is probably the best way of blocking out light. Using a good fitting eye mask will also prevent ambient light from getting into your eyes. Considering that they are very affordable and can be purchased almost anywhere, it is an essential item to include to everyone's sleep regimen.
About the Author:
You can Find out more about ambient light and using the eye mask to better your sleep by visiting John's Eye Mask resource page.
