Wish you could get more sleep? Think about blackout blinds.
You’re not alone. These days, a lot of people are struggling to get the right quality of sleep each night. For some exhausted souls, the problem is caused by too much blue light before bed, emitted from countless smartphones and other electronic devices.
For other people, issues range all the way from a sleep anxiety disorder, to persistent nightmares, and even excess caffeine.
One of the biggest things that have an impact on your sleep is the amount of light that you’re exposed to each day (and night).
Light helps to organize the circadian rhythm, telling your brain when it’s time to wake up, and when it’s time to drift off. Your exposure to light can also help with the production of important substances like melatonin.
Unfortunately, if you’ve ever been woken up early when the clocks roll back by a bright slice of light cutting through your curtains or blinds, then you’ll know how detrimental light can be for sleep too. That’s why so many people consider blackout blinds for bedrooms to be an essential investment.
Why do blackout blinds help you sleep?
Countless studies into health and wellness indicate that if we don’t get enough sleep, our wellbeing suffers. Frequent long nights and problems with sleep deprivation lead to issues like stress, depression, and even an increased chance of chronic diseases like diabetes.
Now a study of University Researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research found that women who had bedrooms that were light enough to see during the night often experienced issues like larger waistlines.
In other words, exposure to light at the wrong times of day could increase your risk of both lost sleep, and long-term health issues.
The good news is that blackout blinds for sleep issues can be a God-send for today’s insomniacs. When you’re sick of getting up with the sun each morning, a set of blackout blinds and curtains could be the key to giving you all the quality rest that you need.
As homeowners have continued to experience the benefits of blackout blinds for themselves, more manufacturers have begun to produce a wide range of sizes to suit everyone.
Blackout blinds for bedrooms remove all light from the outside and stop you from being woken up at a time that’s not suitable for you. With the right set of blackout blinds, you can choose exactly when you want to wake up each morning, rather than working your sleep schedule around the sun.
How do blackout blinds work on insomnia?
As one of the most crucial components of a good sleep hygiene routine, blackout blinds and curtains help you and your family to get the right quality of rest, by avoiding unnecessary disruptions.
For instance, if you decide that you need 8 hours of sleep per night, based on the unique cycles in your circadian rhythm, then you can go to bed at 12am and wake up at 8am, without having to worry about the sunrise.
Blackout blinds can be particularly useful for people who work shifts that require them to sleep through the days, or elderly and younger individuals that require additional sleep.
The body needs a number of things to facilitate good sleep, including a comfortable place to rest, a good temperature (cooler is better), and silence.
Blackout curtains contribute to a better sleeping environment by creating a completely dark environment, which eliminates the issue of light pollution and stimuli that prevents you from getting to sleep or staying asleep.
Importantly, blackout blinds for insomnia aren’t just useful for those who have various disorders or strange sleeping cycles to consider. While being woken up by the sun might not sound so terrible if you need to get up at a similar time to the sunrise each morning, there’s more than just sunlight that can disrupt your sleep these days.
Today’s homeowners are constantly exposed to endless forms of light pollution that impact their circadian rhythms, including:
- Outside street lighting
- Lighting from neighbors
- Cars and traffic
Blackout blinds pros and cons
While many sleep experts consider blackout blinds and curtains to be a valuable part of any therapeutic strategy for better sleep, it’s worth noting that there is a downside to these products.
If you’re using blackout blinds to sleep in all day through the weekends to try and make up for the rest that you lose through the week, for instance, this won’t lead to a good sleep hygiene routine.
Blackout blinds for sleep issues are intended to help promote and protect your natural sleep routine. This means that you should be using them to make sure that you can comfortably go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
If you need the gentle light of the sun to help wake you in the morning, you can always combine your blackout blinds with a sunrise clock like the Philips Somneo. These clocks allow you to create your own sunrise and sunset for a smoother circadian rhythm.
The good news is that as long as you use them correctly, there aren’t many negatives to blackout blinds. Blackout products will help you to customise your sleeping patterns according to your individual needs, which is important in a world where many people struggle to get enough sleep.
Some of the biggest benefits of blackout blinds include:
1. Blackout blinds reduce noise
Light may be one of the biggest distractions when you’re trying to get to sleep or avoid waking up, but noise can also be a huge problem too.
Although light blocking blinds won’t stop noise from coming in through your windows entirely, the thick material tends to dampen the distractions outside. This means that you may be less likely to wake up because of kids playing or cars driving outside.
2. Blackout blinds lower your energy bills
Energy efficiency is another big bonus of blackout blinds for insomnia and sleep issues. These energy-efficient products are excellent at keeping heat in your bedroom, so you can maintain a consistent temperature all night.
Your body responds dramatically to temperature changes during the night, and anything from a draft to an increase in heat could cause you to wake up. As well as keeping the right amount of heat in, your blackout blinds will also prevent excess sunlight from coming into your room in the morning and creating more warmth.
3. Blackout blinds can support sleep disorder treatment
If you’re trying a specific kind of treatment to cure a common sleep disorder, then special blinds might be able to help. For instance, some experts recommend sleep restriction therapy, followed by specifically scheduled periods of rest to help individuals reset their circadian rhythms.
In this case, a blackout blind or curtains that help to prevent light could help you to control your schedule.
4. Blackout blinds are excellent for privacy
Blackout blinds and curtains are also excellent for giving you extra peace of mind when you’re worried about people peering into your home.
Unlike other window coverings that may be semi-transparent, light reducing blinds are designed to be absolutely opaque – which means that no-one could possibly see into your home.
5. Blackout blinds keep the UV rays out
Preventing sunlight and heat from entering your room is crucial for good sleep. As sleeping in the heat can be quite the challenge, you might want to get the blinds with UV-blocking abilities.
Some blackout shades block UV rays from entering your home. With less sunlight and UV rays, the room will be noticeably cooler and the furniture won’t get damaged.
Will blackout blinds for bedrooms work for you?
So, do blackout blinds help you sleep?
The short answer is yes, they absolutely can.
All you need to do to experience the benefits of blackout blinds for insomnia yourself is choose the right window covering for your needs. While using blackout blinds to disrupt your sleeping patterns further with late nights in bed on a weekend, or late mornings when you don’t have to get up for work isn’t a good idea, the tools themselves are fantastic.
Used correctly, blackout blinds for sleep issues allow you to create a completely darkened room that’s ideal for restful sleep.
The good news is that there are also plenty of different kinds of blinds and curtains available to choose from depending on your needs. Like other window coverings, blackouts come in a range of styles and colours to suit your bedroom design.
Additionally, you may be able to find manufacturers that offer higher levels of opacity for people who are disrupted by even the slightest bit of light.
Just remember to choose a blind or curtain size that fits your window perfectly, allowing for no gaps. What’s more, don’t forget that there are other steps to creating a perfect bedroom environment besides choosing the right blinds. Subscribe to Siestio for regular updates and guidance.
Siestio. Sleep Matters.
General advice disclaimer
This article contains general tips and advice. However, no diet or exercise program should be started without consulting your physician or other industry professional first. For more information read our full disclaimer here.
