The mornings are warmer, the birds are waking up earlier, the flowers are starting to bloom. Work chatter has turned from complaining about the dark mornings and nights, and turning to praising the increasingly earlier sunrise. Spring has sprung. But, it isn’t all smiles and giggles once your usual Saturday morning lie in turns into a battle to stay asleep past 5:30am. The sun that brings so much happiness and life, also brings a literal “rude awakening”.
How to stop waking up too early
The usual answers you will get are: change how you eat, change your caffeine intake, go to bed later, do some exercise etc. However, one of the best ways to control the length of your sleep is using light, or lack thereof. During winter, getting out of bed is harder and harder the shorter the days get. It just isn’t wholly natural to get up before sunrise. This works both ways though: it is very natural to wake up as the sun rises.
However, if the sun rises before you want to wake up (the earliest sunrise is 5:09am!), then you need a way to stop the light coming through your windows. Now, you’re probably thinking: “well, I already have curtains and blinds, how can I block out light any more than that?”. You’ve answered your own question there. You need blockout curtains or blackout blinds.
Do blackout curtains really work?
In short: yes. However, it is important to remember that any gaps around the edges, and between the curtains and walls will let light through. Measuring curtains for windows is quite easy once you know how to do it.
Which curtains are best for blackout?
First and foremost, do not assume that the level of blackout is directly correlated with the cost of the product. There are expensive curtains which can be sheer and let lots of light in, and in contrast, you can buy relatively cheap curtains which block out up to 95% of light.
How do I get total blackout in my room?
In my opinion, the best way to create a true black out is using blackout blinds. A good choice would be a Roman blind. The fabric of the blind covers every inch of the gap for the window, leading to very little light getting through.
What are the disadvantages of blackout blinds?
The big issue with these are care after installation. They are notoriously difficult to clean once installed. Most blinds are fixing directly onto the wall, and therefore it would be necessary to take down every part in order to clean.
What can I use instead of a blackout blind?
As mentioned earlier, black out curtains are an excellent and easy way to block out light. Blackout curtains can be plain, patterned, textured, minimalist, designer and more. You can get designer blackout curtains, mid range blackout curtains and cheap blackout curtains. As long as black out or block out is in the name, then they will do the job.
Types of blackout curtains
How do I make my curtains blackout?
If you’re very much attached to the curtains in your bedroom and are very hesitant to switch things up, don’t worry. Blackout linings are available, and very simple to add to your existing curtains. Blackout linings come in lots of shapes and sizes, and easily fit onto your eyelet curtains or pencil pleat curtains. Check out our blogs for more details on blackout linings and how to attach them, along with measuring your curtains for windows.
Are blackout curtains worth it?
100%. Black out curtains have changed my life. When it comes to beauty sleep, I need it, and not being woken up 3 hours before my alarm really helps me feel recharged and ready for the day. It is how to get a more restful nights sleep, and a great investment indeed.
Check out our blackout curtains and blinds here
