curtains

  The Best Blackout Curtains As a Wirecutter staff writer, I focus on making the bedroom comfortable and functional so you can get the best sleep. I co-wrote our guides to  sheets  and  bed pillows , and I’ve written much of our other bedding coverage, including guides to  blankets  and  duvet covers . I’ve also personally shopped for blackout curtains because I’m married to a light-sensitive sleeper. Our experts told us that most people would benefit from a darker room while they sleep. Whether you need total blackness or just a very dark room depends on your own reaction to light. “Individuals differ in their sensitivity to light, so I don’t think one answer fits everyone,” Siegel at UCLA told us. But for shift workers who sleep during the day, Manber from Stanford said total darkness is essential. Many manufacturers say their blackout curtains will help insulate drafty windows and reduce noise, but we didn’t focus on these factors or test for them. ...