Hey all you night RN's. Me and the hub are now officially on night shift together (yay) and I need some window advice.
Here is the deal. We have a loft and our bedroom is in the loft. There are two rectangular sized windows (vertically rectangular so longer height wise than width) that are on a slanted A frame type ceiling. The windows are not flush to the ceiling, but like sky lights so very high. (we can't reach the crap blinds that block out nothing without a long pole thing to open and close the blinds).
So, long story short, how do we block out the light? I have been sleeping on the couch for the last few months because it is darker in our living room. I would like to sleep in my bed with my husband now that we are on the same shift but absolutely cannot sleep up there because it is so bright. I've tried eye masks and it is so irritating. What and how can we cover these skylight windows with?
This is going to sound so tacky, but it works. My bedroom is at the back of my house and has 2 windows. We tried everything to block the light so I could sleep and still I found light waking me up. I mean we tried black out curtains, tin foil, wood paneling, etc., and the only thing that has worked was to go ahead and buy a cheap can of black paint and actually paint the windows black. Our blinds and curtains still look nice from the inside, and like I said no one can see the windows from the outside(big yard, no neighbors on that side). It took 3 coats, but now it is like heaven. I live in the southwest, and it has also made our room about 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house, which also helps me sleep. :yeah:
Well, since I am a still a nursing student, I still have my former life in my basement, which is an industrial sewing machine for window treatments. If you are going to want to open them up from time to time, I would do the rod suggestion with a pretty fabric and blackout lining. You basically have two rod pockets (one on each side). Not a hard task at all, but there will be a "little" bit of light that creeps around the edges. You could keep the fabric as flat as possible by using fusible webbing between the two fabrics. You could also do velcro.
If you want it totally blacked out with no light at all (my personal favorite) and you don't care if you ever get light in there again (or atleast for the time being), you can make a wooden frame that fits into the window, or even just around it. If you want it set in, make the fram 1/4" smaller on all sides. All you have to do is wrap the frame with blackout first and staple, then your chosen fabric and staple. Set the fram up in there and screw it in place. It will be lightweight enough that you won't need a bunch of screws. BUT those are just my suggestions.
If you decide to do the rod method, I'd be happy to do it for you no charge. I don't know where you are, but you could just send me the fabrics and I'd do it for you. PM me if you need help.
When I was in NS, I used the tinfoil....but I had a basement apartment and nobody could see the window.
I've tried Vinyl blackout treatment, it took time, but it was pretty ok. Not very dark though. Our current room has blackout curtains....AWESOME! well worth the money.
I found the eye masks tough to get used to because you have to move it off to see the clock. just my .02
Go to a fabric store and get some black out fabric. My mom made me curtains ( I cant sew for anything ) that are double thick and then we had a color added on top so they looked better. Now I am snoozing all times of day, no issues.
I use the black out curtain panels, on top of that navy blue sheets double thickness......taped all the way around the edges....then my normal curtains over the top. Fom the inside/ outside looks like normal curtains.....and its dark as night! I also bought a small window ac unit....we have central air, but I wanted to block out noise. I can have it as cold as I like without freezing the rest of the family or having to cool the whole house while I sleep.
Well, since I am a still a nursing student, I still have my former life in my basement, which is an industrial sewing machine for window treatments. If you are going to want to open them up from time to time, I would do the rod suggestion with a pretty fabric and blackout lining. You basically have two rod pockets (one on each side). Not a hard task at all, but there will be a "little" bit of light that creeps around the edges. You could keep the fabric as flat as possible by using fusible webbing between the two fabrics. You could also do velcro.
If you want it totally blacked out with no light at all (my personal favorite) and you don't care if you ever get light in there again (or atleast for the time being), you can make a wooden frame that fits into the window, or even just around it. If you want it set in, make the fram 1/4" smaller on all sides. All you have to do is wrap the frame with blackout first and staple, then your chosen fabric and staple. Set the fram up in there and screw it in place. It will be lightweight enough that you won't need a bunch of screws. BUT those are just my suggestions.
If you decide to do the rod method, I'd be happy to do it for you no charge. I don't know where you are, but you could just send me the fabrics and I'd do it for you. PM me if you need help.
WOW! That is a really nice offer for the OP. So nice!!!
If you decide to do the rod method, I'd be happy to do it for you no charge. I don't know where you are, but you could just send me the fabrics and I'd do it for you. PM me if you need help.
When I was young, I would watch my grandmother put a man's black sock across her eyes--something she learned while being a WWII graveyard shift worker. The sock is a cheap sleep mask and works well if your sleep onn your back and don't turn. I have tried the trick and it does work.
:yeah:
Poi Dog
1,134 Posts
I use windshield sun shades in my bedroom. They work well at keeping out the light and they come in an array of colors and decorations.
Hey it beats the alternative of tin foil and duct tape, which I saw a lot of homes in Alaska use.