Sleep is one of the most important components of our physical makeup. Without a good nights sleep your most valiant efforts to get ahead in these very tough times will fall short. And none of us can afford that these days.

Technology has given us so many wonderful tools and devices to help us in our daily lives. Alarm clocks, clock radios, cell phones, televisions, computers, DVD players, game devices and the like. But all of these fabulous devices have one thing in common and that is to rob you of a good night's sleep. How is that possible you ask? Well what they all have in common is an array of LED lamps that beckon you to stay awake. Look at me. Let me illuminate your room in a bath of green, red or blue electronic light.

And if you are a light sleeper with the weight of the world pressing you into the pillow you may be more susceptible to the bath of light than other people.

Sure there are folks who can sleep through anything. Good for them!.And then there are folks who will sleep through anything with the aid of pharmaceuticals. But for the rest of us who may be sensitive to our sleep environment, including myself, we need a good night's natural sleep without distractions. And this includes not only noise pollution but LIGHT pollution. I can't use a face mask. Way too annoying to sleep!

So I have an extremely low tech way of killing the LED lamps AND light from other sources so you can have that nearly pitch black room to fall asleep in. What I hate is actually falling asleep in my bed only to be awakened by those nasty laser like LED beams bouncing off the walls. Or to be traveling for vacation or work...mostly work these days if you know what I mean and to have the hotel room door be the most annoying part of the room. That 1" to 11/2 " gap at the bottom lets in enough light from the hallway to actually read in what should be a dark room. What's up with that? I need it DARK DARK DARK to sleep!!

And speaking of hotel rooms. And I am not talking about cheesy motels.I am talking about those rooms that cost 150 to 250 per night! They all seem to have light pollution. If I am spending that kind of money I want it DARK! So I can awaken the next day, totally rested ( without drug inducement ) and attack the day with gusto! Just to make a living.

How about light creeping from behind what is supposed to be blackout curtain? At the edges and the center where the drape comes together.The parking lot lights around hotels are Mercury Vapor lamps or some such high tech illumination. And those are relentless lamps.

Why most hotels can't resolve this I don't know.

But I do know this. I can offer you the opportunity to fix it yourself in just 2 minutes before you crawl into bed. What I came up with is a new twist to the black out curtains you may have used or have seen. This idea was born out of necessity. I have a neighbor who has a yard lamp that he refuses to turn off or put on a motion detector. The light is so strong that it shines through the crack in my 2 room darkening curtains. And it illuminates my room.

That got me thinking about how to block that light without by purchasing new curtains. Coincidentally I was on travel at about that same time and spent a nearly sleepless night in a well known hotel chain room. Because of the light pollution coming from several sources The 1”gap under the door let enough light in from the hallway I could read in bed. The 3 gaps in the curtain set let in light from the parking lot. The LED lamps in the alarm clock and television. My own cell phone’s blinking LED lamp. And to top it all off right next to my pillow was an illuminated light switch. Enough! I piled towels, clothing and what ever I could to block the light in from of these laps and gaps.

But it was only a partial solution. As I dozed off to sleep it all came to me. And upon returning home to see that light streaming in from the neighbor’s light sealed the deal for me. What I put together that week was a simple and effective portable solution to this light pollution.

And the Blackout To Go kit was born. It is made from lightweight blackout material sewn into 9 blackout panels. Each panel has a specific use:

• 
  Three 12” x 84” vertical panels hung with 3M Command Strips to effectively cover the gaps in curtains and keep that light from streaming in. And it works! There is a weighted cord sewn into the bottom to keep it in place. My neighbor’s light is totally blocked! Use these as needed. On either end or in the center of the curtain set.
• 
  Two 18” x 18” panels with weights sewn into each side to keep them in place. These are used to cover any alarm clock, computer, DVD player or other device. These two panels have Velcro edges so when put together these form the bag for all the parts of the kit.
• 
  Three 6 x 6” Mini Blackout Panels held in place with 3M double sided foam adhesives. These mini panels are used to cover small devices and those pesky illuminated light switches.
  And my favorite is the 8” x 32” door gap Blackout Panel. It is weighted at the bottom edge and held in place by the foam adhesives. And the overnight bill can still be slid under the door. And boy does this block that harsh hallway light.

The whole kit is 18 x 18 x ¾” and weighs just 30 ounces. It fits at the bottom of your suitcase and all these items can be installed in about five minutes. That is the best five minutes you will spend that night. You will have created an almost total darkened sanctuary to fall asleep in.