A Comfortable Nursery: Temperature, Light and Curtains

AI-generated nursery styling illustration.

A comfortable nursery should be easy to adjust throughout the day: daylight for awake time, less light when settling for sleep, and a room that does not leave your baby overheated. Curtains, a simple room thermometer and a small dimmable light can help you manage those changes. You do not need to buy every device marketed for baby sleep.

These ideas apply wherever your baby sleeps. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room sharing on separate sleep surfaces for at least the first six months, so the first room you adjust may be your own bedroom. A nursery can still be useful for changing, feeding and awake play.

What temperature should a baby's room be?

There is no single thermostat setting that accounts for every baby's clothing, health and surroundings. The AAP advises keeping the room comfortable and avoiding overheating, rather than prescribing one universal number.

For a numerical reference, the UK-based Lullaby Trust recommends 16 to 20°C, approximately 61 to 68°F. It describes this as a guide and advises checking the baby as well as the thermometer. The range is not a temperature prescription for every home or an emergency threshold when a room moves just outside it.

Use a room thermometer to see what is happening in the actual sleeping room. A thermostat in the hallway may not reflect an upstairs room warmed by afternoon sun. Notice how the reading changes at bedtime and later in the evening before deciding whether to adjust the heating or cooling.

The AAP lists sweating, a hot chest and flushed skin as signs of overheating. Its general clothing guide is no more than one additional layer beyond what an adult would wear comfortably in the same environment; indoor hats are unnecessary after coming home from the hospital. For a premature baby or one with medical needs, follow the care team's instructions.

Check the instructions for the particular sleepwear you use. The Lullaby Trust cautions against a universal chart matching every temperature to a fixed combination of layers: materials and insulation differ. Keep the sleeping space out of direct sun and away from heaters.

Daylight, naps and nighttime darkness

Let awake time look like daytime

The NHS suggests opening curtains during the day and keeping lights low at night to help introduce the difference between day and night. You can feed, talk and play in ordinary daylight without keeping the room brightly lit around the clock.

Watch where the sun falls. A bright window can illuminate the room without shining directly onto the baby's face. When the room gets strong afternoon sun, adjust the window covering instead of leaving it fully open simply because it is daytime.

Does every nap need complete darkness?

You do not need to make a newborn's room pitch-black for every nap. The NHS daytime advice allows ordinary light and household sounds; it does not require blackout conditions.

A practical approach is to start by softening glare. If the room stays very bright and your baby seems distracted, try drawing the curtains further at settling time, then reopening them for awake time. Treat that as an adjustment to try, not a guarantee of longer naps. There is no need to chase a particular percentage of darkness.

Keep enough light for nighttime care

At night, aim for low light while keeping enough visibility to feed, change and carry your baby safely. A dimmable lamp lets you adjust brightness without switching on the main ceiling light. Position it so it lights the area where you need to see rather than shining into the sleep space.

Choose a warm-looking light if you find it comfortable. You do not need a special red bulb or a lamp with sleep claims to follow the basic advice to keep nighttime lighting low. Keep the lamp and its cable beyond your child's reach.

Which curtains or blinds make sense in a nursery?

Start with how much unwanted light comes through your particular window. A room facing a streetlight has a different problem from one that gets bright morning sun.

Retailers use terms such as “room darkening” and “blackout” differently. Read the product description and look for information about the lining. Fabric color alone does not tell you how much light it blocks. Even an opaque panel can let light around its sides if it is too narrow.

Measure the window and mounting area before ordering. Follow the manufacturer's sizing instructions, and choose a setup you can operate with one hand while the other is busy. Washable fabric may be convenient; check whether the lining has different care requirements.

Safety comes before the fabric choice. CPSC recommends cordless window coverings in homes with young children and keeping cribs, furniture and toys away from windows and cords, preferably on another wall. Decorative tiebacks and dangling loops deserve the same attention as blind controls. Plan for a child who will eventually reach and climb, even when your newborn cannot yet move around.

For the room's appearance, plain curtains can balance a patterned wall. A small color from the wallpaper can guide the curtain color without repeating the entire pattern. Our woodland nursery ideas and floral nursery guide offer ways to bring a room together.

Fresh air, humidity and hot afternoons

Ventilation should suit outdoor conditions. Opening a window may help when the air outside is clean and comfortable; during smoky, very hot or very humid weather, it may make the room less comfortable. The EPA's indoor-air guidance emphasizes controlling pollution sources, ventilation and moisture. Keep the room smoke-free and address dampness rather than covering up an odor.

For general home air quality, the EPA recommends relative humidity around 30 to 50 percent. This is a household moisture guideline, not a proven infant sleep target. A humidity gauge can help you decide whether the room is actually dry before buying a humidifier.

If you use one, follow its cleaning instructions and keep nearby surfaces dry. The EPA advises against humidifying above 50 percent; condensation on windows or damp curtains is a reason to reduce use and investigate moisture. A humidifier is optional, and it adds a maintenance job.

On hot days, the Lullaby Trust suggests shading the room from the sun. If you use a fan, keep it out of reach and avoid aiming it directly at the baby. A fan circulates air; it should not be treated as proof that a hot room is cool enough.

Does the room need to be silent?

Ordinary household noise does not mean the nursery is badly set up. The NHS notes that daytime sleep need not happen in a completely silent house. Keep loud television and other avoidable noise away from the sleeping area.

White noise is an option, not a required part of the room. If you choose a machine, the AAP recommends placing it as far from the infant as possible, using the lowest volume and limiting its duration. Avoid turning it up to overpower every sound outside the room.

Arrange the room around safe sleep

For every nap and nighttime sleep, place your baby on their back on a firm, flat, non-inclined sleep surface intended for infants. Keep pillows, loose blankets, toys and bumpers out of the sleep space. Lighting and temperature adjustments do not replace these AAP safe-sleep basics.

Keep the changing and storage areas separate from the sleep space. Put supplies where an adult can reach them, and leave the route between the doorway, feeding seat and crib clear. Our practical nursery accessories guide can help you plan those everyday storage spots.

Questions about nursery conditions

Are blackout curtains necessary?

They are a practical option when outside light is a problem. Start with the curtains you have and see whether they give you enough control. Complete blackout is not a requirement in the infant sleep guidance linked here.

Should the room stay dark all day?

No. Make daylight available during awake time, while managing direct sun and heat. You can adjust the curtains for a nap and open them again afterward.

Is a nightlight okay?

A low light can help you see during feeds and changes. Use the brightness you need for safe care, position it away from the baby's face, and keep the cable inaccessible.

Should I buy a thermometer, humidifier and sound machine together?

Start by observing the room. A thermometer helps check temperature; a humidity gauge measures moisture. Buy a humidifier or sound machine only if it addresses a need you have identified, and account for cleaning, positioning and safe use.

Before ordering curtains or lights, look at the room once in daylight and once after dark. Note the brightest patch of sun, light coming in from outside, and the route you take for nighttime care. Those observations give you a useful shopping list for your own space.

Reviewed September 23, 2026 against the linked AAP, NHS, Lullaby Trust, CPSC and EPA guidance. General information for families, not individualized medical advice or a clinician-reviewed care plan.