Blackout curtains, made of heavy fabrics with light-blocking linings, effectively create a dark sleep environment. They help improve sleep quality by blocking disruptive light and aiding melatonin production. They help day sleepers, night shift workers, and those sensitive to early sunlight. They also help reduce noise and conserve energy by keeping rooms cool.
If you have insomnia, then you’ve probably tried all kinds of solutions to sleep at night. Maybe you’ve upgraded to a more comfortable mattress or added a sunrise alarm clock or white noise machine to your bedroom.
Another option for making a bedroom more sleep-friendly is the addition of blackout curtains, which promise to aid you in getting a more restful night’s sleep by blocking out light. But do they really work? Here’s what you need to know.
What are blackout curtains?
Blackout curtains are curtains that are designed to keep light from entering a room. “They are usually made of heavy fabrics that have a lining that helps keep light out,” says Carlie Gasia, a certified sleep science coach at Sleepopolis.
Blackout curtains are very useful to create a dark environment that helps to sleep, especially if you’re trying to sleep during daylight hours when a lot of sun glare is coming through the windows.
This can be extra helpful if you work a night shift, like to sneak in sleep during the day, or are sensitive to early morning sunlight.
How do blackout curtains work?
Blackout curtains can have several different functions, from blocking out light to keeping a room comfortable and cool. But how they do what they do comes down to the method used when the curtains are made.
“The most common method involves using a blackout lining behind a beautiful, decorative fabric,” explains Bohnne Jones, Nashville-based owner and interior designer at Decorating Den Interiors.
She adds that other options use a thicker, more opaque fabric that blocks out light without the need for an additional lining.
But it may also be what’s inside the fabric that helps make blackout curtains effective. “The blackout fabrics and lining have a black rubber layer fused between layers of fabric,” explains Jones.
What’s more, blackout curtains are designed to fit tightly around window frames to prevent light from peeking through the edges.
Benefits of blackout curtains
A dark sleep environment can help to improve sleep quality—and blackout curtains help to make that happen.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep issues, and blackout curtains can help you have a more restful, and less disruptive, sleep,” notes Dan Gartenberg, PhD, a medical advisor for CPAP.com.
Blackout curtains help with sleep by blocking out disruptive light, “allowing our bodies to produce melatonin to help regulate our circadian rhythm,” says Gartenberg.
When you’re able to get a good night’s rest regularly, this can benefit your health overall—even reducing your chances of developing chronic health conditions.
Blackout curtains control light by blocking sunlight and street lights from entering your bedroom, which can have several sleep benefits.
“This can help improve sleep by keeping you uninterrupted throughout the night,” says Julia Forbes, a sleep product expert at Sleep Advisor.
Their dense materials can also potentially reduce outside noise as well, adds Forbes. They can even help conserve energy because they make your room cooler during the summer months, she says.
To recap, there are a good amount of overall benefits to consider regarding blackout curtains. They help:
- Block out daylight, so sleep during the day is easier
- Keep the room cool, which makes it less likely to wake up during the night because the room is too warm
- Maintain circadian rhythm
- Make the room feel more private—this is especially useful in a shared space situation
- Avoid street and car lights from keeping you up at night
How to choose blackout curtains
When choosing blackout curtains, it’s important to consider size and shape because they’ll work best if they’re large and fitted enough to completely cover the bedroom’s windows.
“You should choose durable, high-quality materials that block light and also insulate against noise and temperature changes,” says Forbes.
Different types of curtains also require different types of installation. So, it’s also important to look into the type of rods or hooks the curtains need as well as any special maintenance or cleaning processes that will be necessary.
FAQs
Do blackout curtains block 100% of light?
Maybe not 100% but pretty close to it. Some high-quality blackout curtains can block out about 99% of light. “Getting your room completely dark may require other tactics like adding blackout blinds or window seals depending on how your room is set up,” says Gasia.
What is the downside of blackout curtains?
Blackout curtains have a few potential health and sleep benefits, but keep in mind that there can be a downside to blocking out sunlight. “If you’re someone who thrives on a sunlit-filled home, blackout curtains will also make your home significantly darker when they are down,” says Gartenberg. One option is to set the blackout curtains on a timer and have them automatically go up to mitigate this. Another possible downside is that blackout curtains can be pricier than normal curtains or shades.
Do blackout curtains work during the day?
Blackout curtains can work day or night, blocking sunlight, street lights, and everything in between. This is very useful if you’re someone who needs to sleep during the day. It can also help lessen daytime glares on devices.
How much of a difference do blackout curtains make?
Blackout curtains can have a strong impact on the quality of sleep that you’re getting, whether you’re a light or hot sleeper or need to prevent extra light from waking you up and keep your room cool at night.
Sleep masks are another bedroom essential that can help block out light so you can snooze more easily. Check out our guides to the types of sleep masks and surprising sleep mask benefits to learn more.
