Should You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open or Closed?

Is it better to sleep with your bedroom door open or closed? There are pros and cons to both options, and ultimately, it depends on your personal preferences and needs. Keeping your bedroom door closed can help with noise reduction, privacy, and safety from potential intruders. On the other hand, keeping the door open can help with air circulation, temperature regulation, and monitoring of pets or children. It's recommended to experiment with both options and see which works best for you. Ultimately, the most important factor is getting a good night's sleep, so choose the option that helps you achieve that goal.

As a kid, I was so scared to sleep with my bedroom door closed. Any barrier between me and my family definitely made me feel uneasy, and I liked being able to still hear what was going on in the rest of the house just as I drifted off to sleep.

But as soon as I hit my teenage years, I couldn’t imagine ever sleeping with my bedroom door open again. Of course, I needed more privacy-but I also became such a light sleeper, any outside noise was sure to interfere with me getting restful shuteye.

I’ve never pondered the question of whether you should sleep with your bedroom door open or closed beyond personal preference-but it turns out there are some tangible benefits to sleeping with your bedroom door closed.

Not only can you drown out noise better if you shut your bedroom door, but it can also be a lifesaving choice that could benefit you in the face of an emergency. Plus, it can help change the way air circulates throughout the room as you sleep.

Here’s everything you need to know about the benefits of sleeping with your bedroom door closed so you can make the bestand healthiestchoice for you and your family.

Why you should sleep with your bedroom door closed

It can help slow down the spread of fire

According to a survey conducted by the UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (FSRI), only about 29% of Americans regularly sleep with their bedroom door closed—but doing so can greatly improve your chances of surviving a fire.

Per the FSRI, sleeping with your door closed can greatly reduce the spread of carbon monoxide from other rooms to the bedroom. In fact, a closed door can help keep carbon monoxide levels at 1,000 PPM versus 10,000 PPM with an open door.

The FSRI also notes that because fire needs oxygen to burn, a closed door keeps more oxygen locked in the room instead of being used to stoke an existing fire elsewhere.

Therefore, when exiting a room and moving toward safety, make sure to close doors behind you. A closed door can also reduce a fire by 900 degrees. That’s why the FSRI always recommends sleeping with your bedroom door closed.

It can aid in temperature regulation

Because your body heats up during the night as you sleep, sleeping in a temperature that’s between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal. Sleeping with your bedroom door closed can help maintain your desired temperature, which is crucial for a restful night’s sleep.

In the summer, sleeping with your bedroom door closed can help keep the air conditioning in, while in the winter, it can help keep your bedroom warm and toasty.

It can keep your bedroom quiet

As I mentioned earlier, you can block out the noise from roommates or housemates more easily when you have your bedroom door closed.

If you need even more noise reduction, try sleeping with a sound machine for some white noise.

It can promote a feeling of security

When you’re a child, you might want your bedroom door open to be closer to your parents. But as you get older, sleeping with your bedroom door closed can add an additional layer of security and help you sleep more soundly. (This is the best direction to sleep in, according to feng shui.)

FAQs

Why shouldn’t you leave your bedroom door open at night?

To stay as safe as possible during a fire emergency, firefighters and fire experts recommend always sleeping with your bedroom door closed to create a barrier between you and the fire.

Sleeping with your bedroom door open may also cause unnecessary noise pollution and uncomfortable temperatures that can interfere with sleep.

Is it weird to sleep with your door open?

Of course, your personal preferences are never “weird.” But it’s typically considered safer to sleep with your bedroom door closed.

The right bedroom setup can go a long way toward improving your sleep. Optimize your sleep space with these design tips for better sleep.

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