How to sleep during a thunderstorm: stay safe, block the noise, fall back asleep

The thunder cracks at 2 a.m., the room flashes white, and now you are awake and wondering whether you should be. Storms are loud, bright and unpredictable, and it is hard to relax when you cannot tell whether it is over.

This guide separates the two problems. First, what the US National Weather Service says to do indoors during a thunderstorm, because safety comes first. Second, how to make the room quiet and dark enough to fall asleep, using NHS sleep advice. Our own practical tips are labelled as ours.

Safety first: what the National Weather Service says

The National Weather Service says safe shelters are buildings with electricity and plumbing, or metal-topped vehicles with the windows closed. Picnic shelters, dugouts and small buildings without plumbing or electricity are not safe. It explains that lightning enters structures in three main ways: a direct strike, through wires or pipes that extend outside the building, or through the ground, and that once inside it can travel through electrical, phone, plumbing and radio or television systems.

Its indoor advice is a short list:

The last “fine” entry is our practical reading of the advice about windows and doors, not a quote. The NWS also says dog houses are not safe shelters for pets and that chained dogs are particularly vulnerable, so bring pets in.

A point people often get wrong: the NWS says not to unplug equipment during a thunderstorm because there is a risk you could be struck, and that typical surge protectors will not protect equipment from a lightning strike. If you want to protect electronics, deal with them before the storm.

Make the room storm-ready for sleep

The NHS says you may find it easier to sleep in a room that is quiet, dark and cool, and lists things to try. Several are exactly what a storm demands:

1. Earplugs if noise is a problem.
2. Fully closed curtains to keep the room dark, which also softens lightning flashes.
3. An eye mask if light is still a problem.
4. Phone on silent and face down to avoid interruptions and light. Keeping weather alerts on, if you rely on them, is our own suggestion.
5. Background sounds such as rainfall, gentle music or white noise. If you are curious about the options, our guide to white, pink and brown noise explains the differences.
6. A cooler room. Storms often follow heat, so adjust the temperature or open a window only if it is safe to do so. In a storm it is usually not, so use a fan or lighter bedding instead. Our guide to the right room temperature for deeper sleep has the details.

If you wake up

Wake-ups happen. The NHS says not to try to force sleep. If you are lying awake and still awake after around 20 minutes, get up and sit somewhere comfortable, do a relaxing activity such as gentle yoga, reading a book or listening to quiet music, and go back to bed when you feel sleepy. In a storm, that means somewhere away from windows, with a dim light and no screen. The NHS also says to try not to use phones, tablets or computers for an hour before bed, because blue light can make it harder to fall asleep.

If you tend to wake at the same hour whatever the weather, our guide to why you wake up at 3 a.m. covers the common causes.

Worry and the bedtime routine

Some people find storms stressful. The NHS says worry, stress and anxiety can make it harder to sleep, and that writing down worries or making a list for the next day can help clear your mind before bed. Keep to a regular routine where you can, with a calm wind-down, and avoid large meals, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine close to bedtime as the NHS advises.

When the storm catches you outside

Safety indoors is simple; outdoors it is not. If thunder starts while you are out, get into a building or a metal-topped vehicle with the windows closed, which the National Weather Service lists as safe shelters. Calm Eden’s guide on whether umbrellas attract lightning covers what the weather service says. Calm Eden is a sister site under the same ownership, so read that guide as ours rather than an outside opinion.

A storm-night checklist

1. Check where the bed is relative to the window and move it back or choose another room if you can.
2. Bring pets inside.
3. Charge a cellular or cordless phone and leave it on silent.
4. Close the curtains and put earplugs and an eye mask within reach.
5. Start a steady background sound before the storm gets close.
6. If you wake, get up after about 20 minutes rather than lying there.

This guide is general information, not medical or safety advice. If there is severe weather in your area, follow your local emergency and weather service instructions. If sleep problems last, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.