Your Blackout Blinds and Curtains Might Actually Be Making Your Bedroom Hotter — Here’s What You Should Have Chosen for Your Windows Instead

A bedroom with a blue accent wall, windows flanking the bed's headboard, and blinds pulled half way down the windows.

When trying to achieve the perfect night’s sleep, blackout blinds are most people’s go-to. But while they are great at shutting out the light, they may be inadvertently heating up your bedroom beyond comfort.

As temperatures rise during the summer months, homes need to strike the balance between energy efficiency and cooling. Some blackout blinds, made from dense, synthetic materials and especially when dark colored, trap heat. When left closed during the day, they absorb sunlight and radiate warmth back into the room — exactly what you don’t want.