A good nights sleep.
We all deserve it yet sometimes so few of us actually get to experience it.
The reasons are innumerable to why you can’t seem to sleep at night, ranging from overthinking and physical discomfort/tensions to disturbing noises that you can’t reconcile with, like for example your partners incessant snoring. (Heavens help you if the latter is the case, as this article will most likely not address how to soundproof your noisy partner).
If the reasons are your overthinking or physical discomforts then I recommended that you have a look at our articles focusing on yogic techniques and meditative tips for that.
However if you’re interested in noise reduction from the outside, continue reading.
Now, there are many ways to cancel and block out noise and the concept of soundproofing ones home seems to be a growing trend. Which isn’t too surprising considering the mess we’ve created for ourselves on this world with all these machines and technological inventions buzzing around all around us.
In this article we’ll focus on how to create a silent bedroom through various soundproofing techniques and hopefully by the end of this article you’ll be primed to relax, rest and sleep soundly (no pun intended) in the comfort of your own home.
Identify noise sources
The first step to take before going about these ways of soundproofing your bedroom, is to identify, memorize or write down what noises disturb you the most when trying to have that good nights sleep.
When you’ve done that, you are more equipped and prepared to perform the steps shared below.
However before you embark on soundproofing your master bedroom, a worthwhile question to ask yourself is: how quiet do you want your room to be?
Because there are indeed degrees and levels to what you can do to make sure that your room becomes soundproof.
Which brings us to the important point of distinguishing the difference between soundproof and sound dampening.
Soundproof or sound dampening?
If you merely want to bring the volume down a notch, you don’t need to go the entire soundproofing way. You could begin with trying the easy and inexpensive techniques of soundproofing, like for example plugging of all holes of your bedroom, maybe using a bit softer decor and furniture, or perhaps a pair of thick and heavy sound-dampening curtains is what you’re missing.
However if you are truly interested in dead silence, you could for example invest in insulation of walls, thorough soundproofing of windows, double layers of dry wall and more.
Having said that, lets now proceed to the actionable steps of soundproofing.
7 ways of soundproofing your bedroom
Here are some of the best ways of making sure that your bedroom is a quiet place of rest, sleep, repose and relaxation for you and your family.
1. Soundproof your windows
Usually it is the windows that let in the most amount of noise into a room. Outside noise depending on your neighbourhood can really be daunting sometimes. If you are lucky and you live in a good neighbourhood then when the time is right things start to settle down when nighttime.
Before you get on with the main concrete options available for you to effectively soundproofing your window, you should check your windows for any sizeable air gaps that may be allowing outside noise in, you could plug these with expanding sealer foam.
Now on to the main choices and options you have when deciding to soundproofing your windows…
Choice 1: Replace your not-so-soundproofed windows with quality soundproofed windows.
Choice 2: Invest in window blankets or mats
Choice 3: Add a window seal kit
2. Soundproof (dampening) curtains
By buying a pair of soundproof curtains you could to a certain degree minimize and block outside noise but more likely to improve the acoustics within the room. Though soundproof curtains help with blocking sound, that is not their main function.
The main function of these curtains is to function as a sound-absorptive material and thus preventing too much echoing.
A high-quality pick for a soundproof curtains is the Doublewide Blackout Off-White Velvet Curtain by Half Price Drapes.
3. Echo prevention (sound-absorptive material)
As we touched on above soundproof curtains generally help with lessening the echo in a room through its soft and thick material, which brings us to this more of a general step, namely echo prevention through the use of more sound-absorptive material.
A general rule of thumb is that softer surfaces tend to absorb sounds while harder tend to reflect. So by incorporating a variety of soft material you can manage the echo in a room.
Now as you might have suspected this particular way of soundproofing brings quite a lot of creativity to the table.
Soft surfaces?
Carpets, couches, fluffy cushions, curtains and whatever else that might float and decorate your soundproofing boat!
4. Soundproofed door
A creaky and squeaky door or a door that is thin with lots of hollow spaces can really make or break the acoustics of your bedroom.
If you have a wide gap under the frame of your door you could consider plugging it by installing a door sweep to fill that in nice. You could get this low-priced bottom seal door strip (at amazon), which not only helps with soundproofing but also temperature management.
5. Fix squeaky floors
Squeaky floors aren’t really a problem when you and your significant other are on the bed waiting for sleep to take you, however when it gets late at night, squeaky floors and doors can really mess with the atmospheric serenity of your household.
Therefore fixing the floor can prove to be a good thing.
Here is a great DIY guide to doing precisely this!
6. Add a layer of drywall
If you really wish to take soundproofing your bedroom to the next level, another layer of drywall could be the magic step you’re looking for.
QuietRock is a exciting company since 2002 that specializes in different ways of soundproofing walls.
In their own words:
“With over 40 U.S and foreign patents and patent applications, QuietRock achieves high sound attenuation and fire-resistance in one product using less space, less material and less labor than conventional alternatives. Its advanced development team and a broad network of distributors and contractors throughout the U.S. and Canada contribute to thousands of QuietRock projects worldwide.”
7. Close all openings
As I said somewhere in the beginning of the article, identify the sources of noise and plug them all into oblivion. Well this last step is a literal call to action to do precisely that.
The most common openings or holes if you will are those placed near / on the door, windows, air vents, heaters and etc. Your task is to find these openings and use what you can to stuff them with all the sound-absorptive intention you can muster! Though effective material like foam is generally the better alternative!
Conclusion
Soundproofing is really great for those who wish to make their lives a bit easier by lessening their stress levels and increasing their wellbeing through better sleep, rest and relaxation.
Hopefully the interest in soundproofing ones home continues to grow so that the technology can also flourish and develop.
Our main goal is to share insights and knowledge that help infuse your life with joy and relaxation. In other words, TrueRelaxations is a digital magazine dedicated to your supreme wellbeing.