With a wide variety of blackout products on the market now, you have plenty of options to darken any room and solve your sleeping problem.
Blackout products are ideal for those of us that are looking for a better quality of sleep, whether you are a shift worker, light sleep, or have a baby and need to darken the nursery windows, there is the right product out there for you.
However, don’t be fooled by some of the “life hacks” you see online like spraying water on your window, and covering it in tin foil.
While some of these DIY methods offer easy, temporary, and damage-free blackout coverage, they are only a temporary solution, and should only be considered as a one-off, or a quick fix when you have no other options.
Here we guide you through the selection process with some simple steps,
Why Blackout Your Windows?
Of course, people will choose to blackout their windows in order to darken a room, but blackout curtains, blinds, and fabric do so much more to a room than just keep the light out during the day.
They can help keep your room cooler, help you sleep much better, reduce noise, block out street lights parked outside your window and prevent car headlights from shining bright into your home.
Are There Any Health Benefits?
In short, yes – blacking out your windows can help with melatonin production.
Sleep gives our bodies the chance to repair, and blackout products are designed to block out everything from street light to sunlight allowing the pineal gland to optimally produce melatonin, which influences and regulates our sleep cycle.
Blackout curtains can also help with noise reduction. Any noise disturbance during sleep can lead to various health problems, depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
Installing blackout curtains or blinds made with thermal properties can help to improve your sleep cycle, and your sleep will become more comfortable and peaceful, when you wake up you will feel refreshed and ready to face those daily tasks.
How To Blackout Your Windows
If you’re looking to blackout your windows, here are the options we’d recommend.
Install Blackout Blinds
Blackout blinds are the most practical and versatile window treatment that will block out light. They are easy to fit, and you are in control of how much light enters the room.
To completely darken the room, you will need a 100% Blackout blind, there are blinds in the market place made from standard fabric that will allow some daylight through.
Add Some Curtains
If you already have blinds, or you want to darken your room even more, why not add some blackout curtains to the same window?
Blackout curtains will work together with your blinds to create 100% blackout, eradicating any light that might filter through any gaps at either end of the blind.
Don’t worry if you don’t have blinds, or you only want to dress your window with blackout curtains, as this will still work to darken your room. If that’s the case, make sure you opt for 100% blackout curtains.
The only downside of combining blinds and curtains is that light is completely blocked out from filtering into your room, so if your room is naturally quite dark, you will be relying on your lighting.
Turn Existing Curtains Into Blackout Curtains
Anyone can have a go at transforming an existing pair of ready-made curtains into blackouts, but the result will depend upon your sewing ability and experience with a sewing machine.
To start, all you need to do is decide which pair of curtains that you want to change.
Next choose your preferred colour of blackout lining, light or dark, and make sure that you select a fabric colour that co-ordinates with the curtains you are making into blackout curtains.
Finally, follow a tutorial like this one on how to add a Blackout lining to existing curtains, for a step by step sewing guide.
Our 100% Blackout fabric has inherent blackout properties and is cut straight from the roll for you to make into any size for lining, blind, or solution.
The fabric is available in a wide width at 280cm so does not need an unsightly seem for wider curtain linings or blinds etc. No special scissors are required when you work with the fabric, ordinary kitchen scissors work nicely.
If sewing is not for you, then our blackout curtain lining is just what you need for easily transforming any existing pair of curtains into blackout curtains. Made from our innovative 100% blackout fabric, this innovative material can be fitted to most pairs of curtains. Each packet contains 2 curtain panels, easy to use tape and ring fittings included. Simply attach to your existing curtains, no sewing required.
A Face Or Eye Mask
Eye masks are an alternative worth considering to block out light in a room, and they are ideal for travellers or as a cheaper option to blackout window treatments.
Eye mask products are generally lightweight, made from a breathable material, adjustable and are comfortable to sleep in.
Make sure you check the fabric composition, not all masks are made from 100% Blackout fabric and will let some light through, some cheaper masks don’t fit correctly they can cause blurred vision, straps adjust with celcro which can get stuck in your hair or on a pillow, then metal or plastic adjusters can be uncomfortable especially if they dig in your skin.
The Bottom Line
If you want a short term and a very cheap fix, then you have nothing to lose by trying the tin foil hack or using a face mask.
For a long term solution and what we would recommend as the most cost-effective method is purchasing either: a pair of ready-made blackout curtains, or ready-made blackout linings if you want to blackout your existing curtains. Not forgetting Blackout Fabric which will be ideal for a Seamstress.
It is important to invest in good quality blackout curtains, not only do they block out light for non-traditional sleeping schedules, they, add privacy to a room, reduce outside noise, prevent street and car lights from shining in your room.
Remember we spend on average 8 hours sleeping each night, and it’s very important to make sure we get a good quality sleep in a dark and peaceful environment.
