Darkness Matters- Blackout Drapes

Good sleep is one of the cornerstones of a long and healthy life, but in today’s day and age it can be hard to get the full 7 to 8 hours of sleep that is recommended to be well rested. Sleep deprivation can have significantly negative effects on our lives. For one, depression has been linked to a lack of sleep in many cases. Our jobs sometimes demand late night hours, and electronic devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets are constantly bugging us for attention. While these are the more obvious culprits of lower quality sleep, there is one culprit that you may be paying far less attention to: light.

Darkness is Key

Darkness is a key factor in getting good sleep. Our ancestors did not sleep in lit rooms; electricity is a relatively new thing when looking at human history in its entirety. A lack of light sends a signal to your body that it is time to rest, working with your body’s “sleep clock” (the biological mechanism that regulates your sleep and wake cycles) to produce melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is produced in your brain that influences sleep by sending a signal to the brain that it is time for sleep. This starts a chain reaction that leads to your muscles relaxing and feelings of drowsiness taking over. Melatonin production starts to rise in the evening as the sun sets and gradually increases as bed time approaches. Being exposed to too much light during this gradual build-up of melatonin throughout the night can break your body’s natural cycle and ruin your chances of a good night’s sleep.

Fight Back with Blackout Drapes

If you find yourself sleeping in a room that is not dark enough, you may want to think beyond the easy fixes of dimming the lights a few hours before bed and limiting screen time to no later than an hour before calling it a night; a great way to do just that is by equipping your bedroom with blackout drapes. These specially designed drapes help you sleep better by immersing you in darkness after switching off the lights. You can say goodbye to outdoor street light seeping into your room, or your neighbours lighting up your room when they switch on the bathroom light across from your window. Blackout drapes give you the dark sleeping environment that your body was meant to fall asleep in. Blackout drapes are also made with noise cancellation fabrics, meaning sleeping is that much easier for light sleepers that are sensitive to noise. You can be sure you’re getting the best quality sleep in all aspects when you choose to install blackout drapes in your bedroom.

A Healthier Lifestyle

Getting better sleep has been linked to all kinds of health benefits. For example, your hair and skin are greatly affected by your sleeping habits. Sleep deprivation decreases the blood flow to the skin on your face, giving it more of a colourless and dull look in the morning. Puffy eyes with dark circles underneath them are a very common sign of skin damage due to sleep deprivation. Adequate sleep can transform your skin from dull and lifeless to vibrant and beautiful each and every morning.

Proper sleep also promotes hair growth by increasing the blood flow to your scalp and giving your hair follicles all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they need to grow properly. So if you are experiencing hair loss or damage, adjust your sleeping habits and you’ll be seeing a positive change in no time.

If you’re in the Toronto area, call us today.  Our knowledgeable and friendly staff can help guide you towards a better night’s sleep with blackout drapes. Start sleeping better and living a healthier life!