Improve Your Sleep with Blackout Shades

Imagine that you’re in bed, ready to get a solid eight hours of sleep, but bright city lights and unrelenting car headlights beam into your room and keep pulling you out of your slumber. Without the proper blackout shades to keep you in the dark, you can give up your dream of a peaceful night’s rest.

Why Do We Sleep Best in the Dark?

It’s a universal human experience: trying to fall asleep, but pesky lights keep you lying awake in bed. Being unable to sleep because of something out of your control is one of the most aggravating sensations, and that pent-up annoyance only makes it harder to relax. But why is it, exactly, that we have a difficult time resting when the world around us is still awake? Here is a breakdown of the science behind this frustrating phenomenon.

It’s All About Circadian Rhythm

You’ve probably heard of circadian rhythm, also referred to as your body’s internal clock. Modern humans evolved to be diurnal creatures, meaning we stay awake during the day and go to sleep at night. Our circadian rhythm, an internal 24-hour cycle, keeps our diurnal behavior in sync. This cycle relies on darkness, produced by the sun setting each night, to keep our bodies in tune with the world around us.

In a pre-electric society, our bodies began producing melatonin, the natural chemical that helps us fall asleep once the sun sets and it is dark outside. Now that we rely heavily on artificial lights, which remain bright even after the natural world goes to sleep, our bodies have difficulty detecting when to produce melatonin. This disruption to our natural sleep cycle is exaggerated even more when artificial light intrudes into our bedrooms while we try to rest.

The Importance of Rest

Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is crucial to functioning well during the day. A lackluster night’s rest can result in emotional distress, increased stress and anxiety, joint stiffness and fatigue, and a compromised attention span. Our bodies rejuvenate themselves during a phase of sleep called REM sleep. When our rest is disturbed, our bodies don’t have the opportunity to enter into REM sleep. For this reason, a night of interrupted sleep is almost as detrimental as a night with little-to-no sleep at all

Blackout Shades for a Good Night’s Rest

Installing room-darkening window treatments is one of the most reliable ways to ensure you feel rejuvenated in the morning.

Blackout Drapery

Likely one of the most popular room-darkening window treatments, blackout curtains come in a wide array of prints, patterns, and textures. Alexander Blank is proud to partner with renowned designers and artists to offer exclusive fabrics. With hundreds of styles to choose from, you will be sure to find a style of fabric that fits in with your style.

Blackout curtains and draperies can be accomplished by using fabrics with an inherent room darkening liner or by adding a lightweight blackout liner to the fabric of your choosing. This creates a barrier along your windows, blocking unwanted light from seeping inside and keeping your space dark, cool, and quiet while you rest. 

Cellular Shades

Cellular shades, also known as honeycomb shades, are one of the most well-rounded window treatment options on the market. Recognized primarily for their energy efficiency, cellular shades are just as adept at blocking out disruptive light.

Hunter Douglas Duette® Honeycomb Shades are scientifically engineered to be the ultimate barrier between your home and the outside world. A special hidden construction of several air-filled pockets trap the elements from intruding into your home. Choose Duette® Architella® Cellular Shades for a unique dual-cell, or honeycomb within a honeycomb, design for even more protection against light, weather, and sound. Your lower energy bill will just be an added benefit!

You can also add the unique LightLock™ feature to ensure complete darkness for quality sleep or for home theater purposes, LightLock™ applies patented technology to create a unique U-shaped channel design that traps and deflects light, leaving your room completely dark. It is created to pair perfectly with Hunter Douglas Duette® Cellular Shades, forming an innovative and efficient solution for light control. With a sleek and minimalist design, it seamlessly fits into any room aesthetics, offering both functionality and style.

Automation

Simplify your nighttime routine with motorized blinds automated with PowerView® Automation. Many window treatments from Hunter Douglas are compatible with this motorized system, including cellular shades. Control your brand-new window coverings with the Pebble® remote, from your phone via the PowerView® app, or by using your voice when paired with your smart home device. Program your shades to automatically close at sunset and open at sunrise for an even more streamlined routine. You can rest easy knowing that your bedroom will remain dark and your privacy protected.

Best Window Shades for Sleep Near Lutherville, MD

At Alexander Blank Fabrics & Design, we understand the importance of a good night’s sleep. You can rest easy knowing that our skilled design team has the knowledge and experience you need to create a bedroom oasis.

Contact us today for a free consultation or to learn more about our selection of Hunter Douglas window treatments, wallpaper, fabrics, and design services! Visit our showroom at 2151 York Rd Ste A, Lutherville, MD 21093 or give us a call at (410) 561-2331. We serve Lutherville-Timonium and the greater Baltimore Metro area and look forward to working with you!