How Blackout Curtains Help With A Better Night's Sleep

The American medical journals tells us that sleep for adults should vary from 7 to 9 hours per night. Sleeplessness is becoming more and more of a problem in the U.S. with more people complaining about having sleeping issues than any other time in our history. Your body needs to rest.  

Why is sleep so important?

Over 65 million people in the U.S. suffer from insomnia. Most of us are not getting close to adequate sleep per day. Many not only struggle with falling asleep but staying asleep for a long duration. There are long term health effects associated with lack of sleep throughout a person’s life. In recent years, there have been a lot of sleep monitoring apps and sleep accountability apps that help us track our sleeping history the same way we track how many steps we walk per day. It is becoming more of a health concern. If you wake up still feeling tired and need caffeine first thing in the morning, then you are most likely not averaging at least 6 hours of sleep per night. You might also experience irritability and sluggish in the way you function throughout the day. 

What does sunlight mean for our sleep?

The way it works is that for non-nocturnal animals, like ourselves, the amount of sunlight that enters our eyes can cause us from deep sleep. There are cells in the retina that are detected by sun rays which sends messages to the brain that keep us in a roughly 24-hour pattern. These light rays trigger different chemical responses in our body. It can lead to the changes in our physiology and behavior. Melatonin, which is a chemical found naturally in our bodies increases in production as the sun begins to set. This chemical helps us to become less alert and drift more calmly into sleep. The morning light however triggers another hormone, cortisol, to increase which makes us more alert and raises our body temperatures so we are able to get out of bed and feel awake.

What’s the best way to get a good night's sleep?

• Most people don’t fully understand that light directly impacts your ability to fall asleep. By using complete blackout curtains for home you are able to control the levels of light entering your bedroom.

• To help you fall asleep faster, you can spend 20 minutes wrapping up last-minute tasks for the next day, 20 minutes for your nightly hygiene routine, and then 20 minutes doing a relaxing, mindful activity like meditation or reading. Try not to workout or watch television as these activities only increase your energy and awareness, making it more difficult to drift into dreamland.

• The saying, you are what you eat, also works when it comes to your sleeping cycle. Limit caffeine consumption. Caffeine is a stimulant, and its effects can take as long as 8 hours to wear off fully. Most sleep experts recommend ending your caffeine consumption by 3 p.m. Studies also suggest that by avoiding large meals and beverages late at night can help you to sleep sounder and feel more restful in the am. A large meal may cause indigestion that can interfere with sleep. Drinking too many fluids at night can cause frequent trips to the bathroom.

What makes blackout curtains and shades different from other drapes?

Blackout curtains’ primary function is to block out light in the bedroom. They are made from dense and tightly-woven materials but are not necessarily heavy in weight. They are normally thick and insulated. Most blackout curtains are about 90% of incoming sunlight while others complete darken the room with 100% blackout ability. It also helps with noise canceling for a quieter and more somber sleeping space. Blackout curtains for a baby’s room is a great tool for new parents. Many brands are available in decorative window treatments which can add to the design of any room in your home.

Blackout curtains can turn your family room or living room into a more cozy spot in your home by providing lower lights for movie night or game night.
This is becoming more important for those who work irregular shifts or those who have irregular sleeping schedules. It is ideal for overnight shift workers, those who travel a lot for their work, and for those that work in nightlife. Blackout curtains can help ease your transition from day to night and improve your overall sleep quality.

Blackout curtains also help you to cut the cost of energy spending in your home. Energy efficient window treatments can help minimize the amount of light that leaves a room. A lot of the heating inside of a home is lost through the windows when using thermal curtain sets. Blackout curtains have been known to save about 25% of the yearly cost associated with energy supply and home heating.

Luckily, blackout curtains can be inexpensive. They provide a better quality of sleep and are available in different patterns to match personal bedroom design styles. Room darkening curtains are similar to full blackout curtains but only provide around 90% of total blackout.

References used:

https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/stages-of-sleep/

https://snoozeez.com/how-to-fall-asleep-fast/

https://www.civilized.life/articles/blackout-curtains-for-better-sleep/

https://www.blindster.com/blog/room-darkening-vs-blackout-shades/

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/

https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/doors-and-windows/buying-blackout-curtains