“It is important to maintain as dark of a room as possible while you're sleeping,” says Dr. Phyllis Zee, a neurologist at Northwestern University, founder of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine, and co-author of both studies mentioned above.
The sleep expert also said that it is essential for people to minimize or avoid exposure to light during sleep. According to a new study, closing blinds, drawing curtains, and turning off all lights before going to bed and during sleep will help improve health.
It depends. If you find you sleep better in a lighter room, it may be okay to go bare. However, as the experts suggest, there are some curtain alternatives that will allow you to control temperature and light levels, so you can curate the best sleep environment to suit your personal preferences and needs.
Blackout curtains prevent light from disrupting the creation of melatonin, allowing you to fall asleep faster and keep snoozing longer. Across the globe, many people use blackout curtains to aid sleep. A survey of Norwegian adults found that 63.3% of respondents use blackout curtains.
Not only do closed curtains help add a little extra warmth to your bedroom and prevent onlookers, they have a strong effect on your quality of sleep.
Sleeping with the window open could inadvertently trigger allergies, asthma or potentially cause illness in someone with an already-weakened immune system. But for most people, it's relatively risk free. Aim to keep your bedroom around 65 degrees with 65 percent humidity.
According to researchers from the University of Salford, drawing your curtains at dusk can reduce heat loss by around 15-17%. With blinds, the figure is a little lower at 13-14%, but the difference is enough to make closing them worth it.
The disadvantage of choosing curtains over blinds is that they take up more space than blinds and therefore can make a room appear smaller than it really is. Long curtains can easily get messy, especially for people with young children. Curtains and drapes for windows can be more costly in comparison to blinds.
It is a good idea to consider soothing and peaceful colours such as green, blue or pink in a bedroom. These colours are all known for their soothing and calming qualities. Blue has even been said to help fight insomnia and anxiety.
Closing curtains at night can reduce heat loss by up to 17 percent. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using curtains with thermal lining can reduce heat loss by up to 25 percent. Using curtains with white plastic backings can reduce heat gain by up to 33 percent.
It's ok to go bare—for the right reasons. To hear most designers say it, window treatments are the jewelry of the home, the finishing touch without which no good room is complete. But, as with every rule—design and elsewhere—there are exceptions.
It can make you feel more vulnerable as glass is not as solid as a wall. The sunlight can intrude on restful sleep as it is brighter near the window. The temperature is more varied next to the window. Feng shui bed placement principals warn against it because it leads to a loss of positive energy.
Window treatments can transform the way a room looks and can give you privacy. However, in activity areas like the dining room, living room and the kitchen, you can probably live without them. A window without any coverings or obstructions can make your home so much brighter.
There's no denying it, summer is behind us now and glorious autumn is beckoning the colder nights – but if that chill is extending into your house it is worth checking your blinds and curtains. Around 10 per cent of the heat in our homes is lost through the window with that figure rising if you have single panes.
Additionally, those bacteria that were kept in the dark were also more closely related to respiratory diseases than those that stayed alive even with exposure to sunlight. So not only are you benefiting from the vitamin D that comes from the sun, but it could also be saving you from respiratory disease as well.
Don't Let Criminals Window Shop
Your home isn't a retail store. Covering your windows with blinds or curtains can prevent burglars from evaluating whether or not it's worth the effort. It's better to get full-coverage draperies.
Research studies discovered red to be the best color light to help you sleep, because it increases production of melatonin as well as full darkness. On the other end of the spectrum, blue is the worst.
Dark curtains don't show dirt and dust like light coloured curtains will so a good choice for high traffic areas (if the size is right). They're simple to maintain and clean as stains and markings don't show all that much. A good choice for blocking light out of bedrooms for a better night's sleep.
“Blackout curtains and shades are a great choice for assisting in blocking out ambient light. If you need to have a night light on in the bathroom, be sure that your door is closed so that the light is blocked, [and] consider reducing the brightness of the light as well.”
Curtains prevent allergens from getting into your rooms. When your windows are open, dust particles and pollen enter your home. Curtains act as a barrier and collect these particles. They also prevent moisture from condensation on windows entering your room at night.
"Blinds offer the most light control with a variety of tilting options. Blinds or shades can be paired with drapery to enhance windows in any part of the home." While each type of window treatment has its own unique set of characteristics, all of them can be used to transform any room.
There could be various reasons why some people leave their curtains or blinds open at night. Firstly, some people may prefer the natural light coming in through their windows to wake them up in the morning. They may also want to enjoy the view of the outside, such as the stars or the moon.
Like many other cooling tips we recommend, blackout curtains won't completely cool your home on their own. They should be used in conjunction with an efficient air conditioning system for the best results. The Department of Energy says that the use of curtains can reduce heat gain from windows by up to 77 percent!
Older windows, even some newer windows, can let cold air right into your home. It happens because of cracks, failed seals, and poor insulation.
Sinus Infection: We are more likely to contract sinus infections while sleeping with windows open at night, especially in drier climates. Trigger Asthma: Pollen particles travel into our homes through insects and open windows. Pollen falls closer to the ground when the air is cooler.