Best Blinds for Night Shift Workers

Night shifts are a particularly demanding form of work, namely because it requires you to completely reverse the natural human sleeping pattern for days (and nights) at a time. While you may be tired after a night shift, it can be difficult to get to sleep during daylight hours – unless you have blinds that can help you. In this article, Allegro Blinds will look at the best blinds for night shift workers looking to get some sleep. 

Night shifts disrupt our circadian rhythm. Put simply, our circadian rhythm is our body clock, which is responsible for us feeling tired or alert – the most common times for feeling tired are in the middle of the night and just after lunch. It can also be affected by light and darkness – darkness sends signals to a part of our brain, which results in us feeling tired – when working night shifts, we have to battle against that hard-wired signal.

So, what blinds are best for helping us sleep in the day?

Blackout blinds

For those who want complete darkness to sleep in, blackout blinds are a top choice. As the name suggests, they completely block out all light, meaning you won’t be disturbed by any pesky rays as you try and get some shuteye. It’s crucial, though, that your blackout blinds are made-to-measure; this is because made-to-measure blinds will perfectly fit your window recess. Blinds that aren’t made-to-measure may allow chinks of light through the gaps between the edge of the blind and the wall, which negates the main benefit of blackout blinds. 

Blackout blinds are also thicker than standard blinds, which means they provide other benefits: they have strong insulative properties, and the thick material helps to keep external noise out as well as keeping heat in. 

Blackout blinds needn’t be black, either. The layers of material keep the light out – it’s not down to the colour, so you can opt for one that better suits your decor if black isn’t the right colour for you. 

Day and Night blinds

Day and night blinds, also known as vision blinds, allow for the user to control the level of light and privacy in their room with a simple twist of the cord. When closed, these blinds will completely shut out light, but when they’re twisted open, the light can filter through. This is thanks to the innovative strips of fabric that align or separate depending on light needs to be let in or shut out. 

If you’re working nights and you need to get some sleep during the day, then opt for blackout blinds or vision blinds. As long as the blind you choose is made-to-measure, you’ll reap the benefits of your window dressing of choice.  At Allegro Blinds, we’re proud to provide a comprehensive range of made-to-measure blackout and day/night blinds for customers throughout Watford, St. Albans Harrow and the surrounding areas. For more information, please get in touch with us today and we’ll be happy to help.