As a light sleeper, I can confirm that the absence of noise and light make a difference in how fast I’m able to fall asleep. Being able to sleep in complete darkness, free from any and all outside distractions, makes it easier for light sleepers to fall and stay asleep. You can use all of the relaxing sleep aids you want, have the coziest pillows and a supportive mattress — but if the street light on your block is blaring into your window slumber is going to be harder to attain. The best sleep occurs when you’re in complete darkness, which is attainable by covering up all of those pesky charger lights, shutting off your phone and using blackout shades on your windows.
So, what are blackout shades exactly? And how do they work? Blackout shades are window shades made to block out all external light during the day or night. At night, your body’s most restful state is achievable when all ambient light from street lamps, traffic lights or neighboring houses is blocked out. Blackout shades are made of densely woven fabric like velvet, suede and/or felt and are designed to not let any light in.
If you’re having trouble getting your full eight hours each night, try setting up one of these blackout shades to block out light. They’ve got blackout blinds, curtains and a variety of other window fixtures that will fit your room’s light source to a T. Many of the shades below come sized for standard windows, but you can also add a blackout liner to an existing curtain to amplify its light-blocking capabilities. I’ve included a few of those below as well. They’re easy to set up and are relatively affordable for the most part. Here are the best blackout shades available to order on the web.
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1. Original Blackout Pleated Paper Shade
BEST OVERALL
Able to install in seconds, these opaque blackout shadows work with most windows and help keep your room as dark as you want. The soft 100% polyester fabric won’t scratch or scrap your walls, so you won’t have to worry about it negatively impacting your home’s decor.
2. NICETOWN White 100% Blackout Lined Curtains
RUNNER UP
Available in a range of different sizes, these blackout curtains come in a solid white color and look great in any setting. Able to block out all sunlight and UV rays, these curtains are a great option if you’re looking to add a little more privacy to any room as well.
3. Cordless Blackout Cellular Shade
BEST CORDLESS
Specifically made for bedrooms and game rooms, these blackout shades come in a range of different color styles, so you can coordinate based on each specific room. The cordless design makes opening and closing the blinds as easy as can be. Of course, they’re also able to protect your room from UV rays that can tarnish furniture.
4. Total Blackout Window Film
BEST FILM
Instantly darken any room with this amazing blackout window film. Able to easily attach to any window or wall, the static cling of the fabric makes for effortlessly easy setup and removal — letting you instantly add UV protection to any room.
5. NICETOWN Thermal Insulated Grommet Blackout Curtains
BEST CURTAINS
As an Amazon bestseller, these insulated curtains come with 5,000 five-star reviews. They also come in an impressive 18 various color options. The grommet top design helps add an extra sense of elegance, while the curtains themselves are able to block out light and harmful UV rays.
6. LUCKUP Blackout Pleated Fabric
BEST BLACKOUT FABRIC
This is blackout fabric you can apply to existing blinds or apply underneath curtains to blackout your room at night. It’s made to block out ultraviolet light and harmful dust so your family can sleep comfortably. All you have to do is cut, tear and stick to install these. No power tools, screws or anything complicated — and the fabric is easy to cut and adjust to the exact size of your windows.
7. Achim Home Furnishings Black Window Shade
EASIEST TO INSTALL
These blackout shades take only three steps to install and come made of a textured, durable vinyl with a bottom rail that prevents sagging and extends their longevity. All it takes is trimming the shade down to the exact size of your window with a utility knife or something of similar sharpness, peeling and sticking it on, and adjusting the shade using the included pleats. Installing blackout shades does not have to be a long, drawn-out process — do yourself a favor and make sleeping easier with just a few steps.
8. Redi Shade Cordless Cellular Blackout Shades
EASIEST TO TRIM
These blackout shades from Redi Shade are made to be trimmed to fit your windows exactly and can be installed with no tools. You can use a straight edge kitchen knife, box cutter or other sharp tool to trim your shade so it’s perfectly sized, and you can set up your new blackout shade using no screws, drill or brackets. The shades have a cordless lift mechanism that makes operation easy and the appearance super clean, and the honeycomb fabric darkens rooms by filtering out harsh UV sunlight. The neutral shade looks white from the street side view, and at 9/16-inch thick the fabric is naturally energy-efficient and energy-saving.
9. DriftAway Thermal Insulated Blackout Curtain Liner
This is not a blackout shade, but a blackout curtain liner that can turn existing blinds into blackout curtains easily. The liner is ready to hang for 84″ long curtains, and includes 16 rings so it can be strung along an existing rod. This curtain liner is great for energy efficiency in that it keeps cold out and heat in, or vice versa in the summer, and it’s sound dampening so you sleep sounder as well. It also blacks out your curtain so the outside world can’t creep in, giving you total privacy as well as temperature-regulated and light-controlled comfort.
10. Central Park 100% Blackout Curtain Liner
This is another curtain liner made to block out all ambient light and strengthen the privacy of existing curtains. This liner is made of soft, thick, triple-weave polyester fabric with black yarn lining to provide UV protection through blocking out the sun. The thick curtain liner not only makes the curtains and house more energy-efficient, it also provides noise reduction and comes ready to install with two liners in each package. The liners measure 48″ x 81″ and have 10 hooks on each so you can easily attach them to your existing curtains.