A false start or a night time awakening is when you put your baby down to sleep for the night and they wake up shortly afterwards! Any parent that experiences these knows how awful they can be.
In this post we list the factors that cause a false start as well as give some tips that could help your baby get to sleep and stay asleep. Take notes because these tips will save you a LOT of time and stress as a parent!
Why Is Complete Darkness With Blackout Curtains The Way To Go?
When it comes to sleep, most people underestimate the importance of complete darkness. The number one thing that most often impacts sleep is light pollution. Light pollution is when artificial light is used to illuminate our surroundings in the absence of natural light and can come from inside or outside.
"Continual artificial light can be harmful to your health"
The reason that artificial light is harmful to sleep is because our eyes contain certain cells whose sole purpose is to change our behaviour depending on the presence or absence of light. This is called a non-visual information response.
There are two key effects from constant artificial light exposure
Light exposure while you are sleeping will reset your body’s internal clock which causes a misalignment between your internal clock and your surroundings. This is why we can experience the phenomenon called jet lag.
Light exposure while you or your little one is trying to sleep also prevents melatonin production. Melatonin is the key sleep hormone that is produced in response to darkness to help with sleep onset and sleep duration. We always want melatonin in our bodies when we are trying to sleep and its absence will harm us over time.
Have you ever woken up and wished you could've sleep longer?
A recent study conducted by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism directly proved that room light (from inside or street lights outside) can cause melatonin to kick in almost an hour and a half later than dim light before bed.
Researchers also found that exposure to room light reduced the duration that melatonin lasts in your body by an hour and a half! To put this in context, the reason you can sleep longer could be because of your room and/or outdoor lights.
The solution to this is certified 100% blackout curtains like the Sleepout Curtain. We spent years specifically designing our products for better sleep and to prevent any artificial light from activating these cells in your eyes.
What Are Blackout Curtains?
Blackout curtains are designed to prevent any light from entering a room. This allows the room to be pitch black to the point where you may not even see your hand in front of your face!
The Materials In Blackout Curtains
The Sleepout Curtain
- Polycotton blend.
- The base is a woven high-quality cloth with a microfiber layer to resist moisture.
- The first pass has an acrylic coating to prevent light leaks.
- The second pass is an opaque reflective layer that blocks all light including UV.
- The third pass has an acrylic coating that stops sound and adds some thermal insulation.
- The final layer adds a soft finish
Typical Blackout Curtains
- 100% Polyester
- Typically consist of two layers made from a triple-weave fabric.
- The lack of coating creates uneven "light bleeds" in the fabric.
The Materials In Thermal Curtains
- The fabric is typically 100% cotton, wool or polyester
- There are two or three layers of fabric with an outer layer of batting to prevent air from entering your home.
- The outer layer is coated with acrylic foam or aluminum.
- The material also has microfibers to resist moisture.
Keep in mind that blackout curtains still have some similar functionality in terms of reducing your utility bill and making your home more energy efficient.
The Reason You Need Portable Blackout Curtains
Now that we have discussed the importance of 100% blackout curtains for your baby’s sleep, let's talk about why portability is so important.
This is an extremely important aspect that should not be overlooked. Portability of blackout curtains provides a degree of reassurance that no matter where you are, your baby will always be able to get a good rest in any room.
The easiest way to make your home better for sleep is to add the most recommended blackout curtain by sleep specialists in North America! (Use code WELCOME10 for $10 off).
Citations
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047226/
https://www.yorkshirefabricshop.com/post/what-is-the-difference-between-thermal-and-blackout-curtains
https://home.howstuffworks.com/green-living/blackout-curtains-save-energy.htm
