Sleep is essential to living happy and healthy lives. It’s common knowledge that adults need around six to eight hours of sleep every day. It is our body’s way of recharging after an exhausting day, so not getting enough sleep will only leave us feeling tired the next day.
Unfortunately, not all of us get that much sleep. It can be because of different factors, but the biggest culprit is that your bedroom may not be inducing sleep.
Fortunately, there is a way to create a sleep-friendly environment without spending too much on redecorating your entire room. All it takes is to install blinds and you’ll be surprised by the world of difference that it makes.
But how can blinds help you sleep better, you ask? We’ll walk you through the reasons in this article.
Creates a Sleep-Inducing Ambiance
One of the biggest ways that blinds can help you sleep is that it creates a sleep-inducing ambiance in your room.
You may not realize it, but even the faintest glow from the streetlight outside can already affect your sleep quality. The same is true for passing cars – even the moonlight can be bothersome sometimes.
If there’s something we can learn from studies on sleep, it’s that a dim room is most ideal for getting a good night’s sleep. Studies also reveal that total darkness can help the body naturally progress into sleep, which is why it’s best to get rid of night lights and other sources of light peeking through the window.
With that said, blinds can help you with that purpose. Blinds are effective at blocking out light from outside the window, and that leaves you with a darker room.
Fortunately, different types of blinds fit different window types and shapes. Even if you have floor-to-ceiling windows, there’s a type of blind that can cover that up. that guarantees that you’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep.
As a tip, make sure to take accurate measurements of your window before you purchase your blinds. That guarantees that there will be no light peeking from the edges – so you can surely drift to dreamland.
Promotes Longer Sleep
Blinds can also help you sleep longer, and that results in an improved quality of sleep. At school, we were taught the different stages of sleep. If we fail to get to reach the Rapid Eye Movement or REM stage, then we’re less likely to feel energized the next day.
Fortunately, blinds can help us sleep soundly throughout the night – that means they can help us rest through all the stages of sleep.
As previously stated, blinds can block out external sources of light from entering your room. That leaves us with a dark room that’s highly conducive to sleep. But aside from helping us drift off to dreamland, this darkness also helps us stay asleep.
Without any flickering light from passing cars, we’re less likely to be awakened in the middle of the night. And on days when the sun rises earlier than usual, you don’t have to be bothered by its bright morning light. That comes in handy when you prefer to sleep in on the weekends.
If your main purpose is to block out the daylight, you might want to invest in blackout blinds. These blinds leave your room in pitch-black darkness, even when it’s bright and sunny outside. This feature makes it perfect if you work throughout the night and sleep in the day – or when you love taking afternoon naps.
Reduces Anxiety
In some instances, people do not get enough sleep because of anxiety. It can be for different reasons, and the fact that your windows offer no sense of privacy and security can be one of them.
By installing blinds in your room, you will instantly feel safe and secure. You don’t have to worry about prying eyes watching your every move, and that allows you to feel more comfortable in bed. It also gives you a sense of privacy, which greatly helps with improving your mental health.
And when your anxiety levels drop, you will start to feel more relaxed. And that’s a good sign that you’re finally ready to sleep.
Decreases Room Temperature
Aside from flickering lights, other factors could disturb your sleep cycle. A higher room temperature is one of them.
Your room has to maintain a comfortable temperature to help you sleep soundly. When the temperature rises and it becomes too hot, we’re often awakened by the sticky feeling from all the sweat we’ve produced. This is especially common during the summer when even the AC can’t seem to help improve the temperature.
In some cases, it also happens when the sun begins to rise in the morning. As the sun rises, the temperature also increases. That usually wakes us up even before we reach the last stage of the sleep cycle. And that can be quite frustrating. Fortunately, certain types of blinds can also help us with this problem.
Some blinds come with reflective layers that help keep the light and heat away from the room. As a result, the room stays cool even when it’s hot outside. That keeps the room at comfortable levels – so we can sleep soundly throughout the night.
Since it keeps the room temperatures down, it will also help you save up on your next electric bill. That’s another thing to be grateful for.
Reduces Noise
Another factor that can deprive us of quality sleep is external noise. Some of us have an extremely sensitive hearing – even the soft rustling of the leaves or the chirping of birds can instantly jolt us awake. That can be frustrating, especially if you live in a city that’s always busy.
Fortunately, some blinds can also block out these types of noise. Blinds with thicker material are effective at cancelling out certain sounds, and that can drastically improve our quality of sleep.
Of course, it can only be effective at blocking out soft but bothersome noise. It cannot cancel out loud sounds such as thunder or a loud horn. Nevertheless, these are rare instances that do not happen every night. And the fact that it cancels out sounds to a certain extent is already a big help.