As your tiny bundle begins to grow, transitioning them into their own room can be a daunting prospect. After 6 months of sleeping next to you and having the soothing ‘shoosh’ of your voice washing over them, they’ll now find themselves nestled in the cocoon of their own cot. So, how do you make sure they get the best sleep possible? One of the best ways is to take control of light distribution. Light has a dramatic effect on how easy we find it to fall into a deep sleep. And, as your little one comes to terms with this new concept, managing light is a brilliant way to help. In this blog post, we take a look at how the right nursery blinds can make a massive difference for your baby.
How does light affect sleep?
The first thing we need to consider here is how light can negatively affect our sleep. We are all relatively sleep deprived in modern life. However, the award for the most rest-poor in our nation would have to go to parents of young children. One of the main things you’re told during your pregnancy is to ‘appreciate the sleep now because once they’re here, it all goes out the window’. So, understanding the things we can do to improve sleep will help to boost the rest that we are getting.
How does light have an effect? High light exposure can cause our biological clock to become confused. We are naturally programmed to wake up with the sun rise and go to sleep with the sun set. It’s how cavemen knew to shut off their hunting plans for the night. However, in our modern world, this natural cycle has become disturbed with late night TV and mobile phones.
What happens in our body?
Light-sensitive cells in the retina of our eye send signals to our brain informing it of whether it is daytime of nighttime. If we are exposed to high light during the night or as we drift off, these signals are sent incorrectly. Imagine your brain telling you to ‘rise and shine’ when really it’s 3am in the morning – not good!
With small children, establishing a nighttime routine early on is vital for producing good sleep habits. Many parents do this by dropping the lights nearer to bedtime and turning off digital screens. If you’re looking to get your babe to sleep through the night, keeping their bedrooms dark and calm is vital. Here is where the right nursery blinds can be the difference between 8 hours kip and 12 night time parties.
Things to consider
When it comes to styling their room, the world really is your oyster. You have free reign to create the nursery of your dreams. From jungle themed set ups, complete with wall stickers and musical lampshades through to contemporary grey and yellow rooms, the choice really is yours. After you’ve chosen the colour scheme and the furniture, its time to think about nursery blinds. As a new parent, the importance of these handy devices will become evident very quickly.
Remember, with small babies they’ve just spent the last 10 months in complete darkness. So it makes sense that they’ll feel most relaxed in darker rooms. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect blinds.
Safety First
A study published in 2017 found that almost 2 children a day wound up in the emergency department due to window blind cord related injuries. The cords that you use to open and shut blinds can be highly hazardous. The most common cause of injury is when small children – mainly those just learning to walk and get around, become entangled or strangled by these cords.
Make sure that safety is at the height of importance – way before style. Legal regulations ensure modern blinds are designed and supplied with safety equipment to prevent such injuries. However, there are ways you can further prevent them.
What are the safe options?
Opt for cordless nursery blinds. These are operated either by a rotating wand or a unique coiled spring mechanism. Either way, they eliminate the need for cords and are a safer option.
For those looking for a bit more luxury, motorised nursery blinds are operated using a remote control. Ordinarily, a single remote can be programmed to run multiple blinds, allowing you to stand on the landing and cover numerous windows in one go. If you do opt for blinds with cords, ensure they are wrapped away – high from prying fingers – and stored safely all day long.
Blackout Essential
As we mentioned before, light has a dramatic effect on sleep. Therefore, blackout blinds are absolutely essential to your nursery. Create a womb-like experience or simply switch older children off from the buzz of their busy lives. Blackout blinds are available in a number of different designs including the classic roller blinds or longer vertical blinds.
Luckily, modern day technology means that blackout nursery blinds needn’t be darkly coloured to do their job. You are able to find bright colours, vibrant patterns and varying textured materials used – all of which have an internal light blocking panel to prevent rays from slipping in.
Easy to clean
From the moment they’re born into teenage-hood, you’re always looking out for your little one’s health. So having nursery blinds that are quick and easy to clean reduces the risk of harmful dust or dirt build-up in their room. The majority of roller blinds, vertical blinds and Venetian blinds can be incorporated into your existing routine easily. Wiping them down with a slightly wet cloth or microfibre cloth will help to shift the worst dust.
Quiet to function
Imagine this – your little baby has just fallen asleep in your arms (unexpectedly) and you’re planning to pop them into their cot. You tiptoe over to the window to close them and remember the racket your nursery blinds make every single time. Bedrooms are all about peace and calm, so why should your blinds be any different?
Venetian blinds can rattle as they’re pulled up or down – avoiding this can be a god send. Although this is rarely something you’ll think about in the shop, it will become the most important thing in the world when you’ve spent the last 2 hours getting them off!
Styling blinds in your nursery
There is no end to the ways you can style nursery blinds in your little one’s bedroom. Below, we’ve listed some of our favourite options :
- Pick a monochrome print
When we are first born, our vision is nowhere as clear as it is as adults. Babies and newborns are automatically drawn to strong contrasts such as black and white. If you’re looking to engage your little one from day 1, consider a monochrome window blind. These versatile colours can be styled into your existing décor easily. - Choose bright colours
Children LOVE colour – that’s why all the toys you see on shelves are a rainbow of tones. Choose the brightest colour and style your room around it. Perhaps your green roller blind would look great paired with a small green rug, jungle-themed wall stickers and a cuddly monkey for them to snuggle into. - Go classic
Venetian blinds are a timeless and charming option for any room – including the nursery. If you’re looking for a more neutral theme, opt for a white blind or perhaps one in a muted grey. Both of these options will last well into their teenage years and can slip easily into your evolving style. - Add to their magical palace
Here at Shop4Blinds, we have a captivating range of metallic and glitter blinds – sure to bring a sparkle into your little Princess’s eye. - ALWAYS choose blackout
Blackout blinds don’t have to be boring. We have large collections of textured, plain and patterned blackout blinds all available online.
Now over to you
Dressing a nursery can be one of the most exciting times in a couples life. And we want to be there to support you throughout your decision making. Here at Shop4Blinds, we have a wide range of nursery blinds to choose from. Our blackout roller blinds will keep them sleeping soundly while our plain vertical blinds are beautifully simplistic.
Contact us here today for help and advice. Our friendly Sales Team are always on hand to make your purchase as smooth as possible.