Sleeping Tight: How You Can Keep Out Noise and Light

Everyone deserves a good night's sleep — it's as important as proper diet and exercise for achieving optimum health. But as everyone knows, a good night's sleep can be hard to come by. Everyday stress and worries may make it difficult to enjoy a healthful rest. Factors outside of our control, inherent to our environment also can make a good sleep impossible. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), the ideal sleeping environment may be one that is cool, dark, and quiet. Therefore, outside noise and lights can be important obstacles to a restful sleep.

The NSF reports that 40% of females and 30% of males suffer from sleeping problems. It's no secret that a lack of sleep can result in a loss of concentration and inability to accomplish required tasks. Sleeplessness may be even more problematic: A survey found that people with chronic insomnia are more likely than others to develop a myriad of psychiatric problems; also, at least 1,500 people a year lose their lives to fatigue-related car accidents.

Given the numerous health risks caused by sleeping problems, the NSF has set forth six tips for achieving a healthy, restful night's sleep:

• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the late afternoon and evenings.
• Exercise regularly, at least three hours before bedtime.
• Don't nap during the day.
• Establish a bedtime routine that is relaxing.
• Associate your bed with sleep; don't watch television or do work in bed.
• Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
• Even when these NSF tips are followed, light and noise from outside your home may present the final obstacle to enjoying a good night's sleep. But with Hunter Douglas window fashions, these environmental factors that were once an unavoidable irritation can now be easily managed, and almost completely eliminated, by the twist of a wand or the click of a remote control. Hunter Douglas' energy efficient window treatments address the problem of unwanted light for better sleep:

Lightlines® aluminum blinds: Lightlines blinds with the de-Light™ feature block out 99% of visible light. This feature includes hidden rout holes and more slats than traditional mini-blinds for tighter vane closure.

Duette® honeycomb shades: These shades are available in an opaque fabric with an aluminized polyester film core. This energy-efficient blackout option keeps out 99% of outside light when lowered, and helps make your home cool in the summer because hot air is "trapped" in the honeycomb cells. These shades also absorb outside noise.

Silhouette® window shadings, with the Signature S-Vane™: Offered in 12 designer colors, the Silhouette Bon Soir™ collection features semi-opaque fabric vanes suspended between sheer facings that reduce the transmission of direct sunlight by 70%.

Brilliance® Pleated Shades: Hunter Douglas pleated shades offer special backings (standard or blackout) to increase privacy and decrease unwanted light. Available for children's rooms, the Child's Play fabric collection offers the special backings that shut out the sunlight at naptime and are decorated with the whimsy of childhood in mind.

Hunter Douglas window treatments keep out the elements, lower energy bills and help you sleep. Practical and beautiful, energy efficient Hunter Douglas window treatments keep noise and light out, setting the stage for a therapeutic night of peaceful rest.

The National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes public understanding of sleep and sleep disorders and supports sleep-related education, research and advocacy to improve public health and safety. The NSF neither implicitly nor explicitly endorses any product. For more information on sleep and sleep disorders, call the NSF at 1-888-NSF-SLEEP.