In 2022, Taylor Swift dropped a “3 a.m. edition” of her Midnights album. I didn’t listen to it the moment it came out, but I can assure you that I was up at that hour because I did not sleep through the night from December 2021 through April 2025.
There are some caveats here. I was in the third trimester of my second pregnancy in December of 2021, and my son was resting comfortably on my bladder. I also exclusively nursed and “still” do nurse him, which early on required frequent night feedings. However, he began sleeping through the night as a toddler. That being said, my body hadn’t received the memo, and I kept waking up at 3 a.m., and worse, hadn’t yet returned to getting uninterrupted sleep.
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It was frustrating. As a health writer, I understand the importance of sleep for the heart, brain and the prevention of mental health issues. The American Heart Association even lists sleep among its Essential 8 lifestyle tips, right alongside other habits I follow almost religiously, such as exercising and eating a healthy, Mediterranean-style diet.
Sleep is also having a moment on social media, with sleep-maxxing gaining TikTok traction in 2024. When I read about the “trend,” I experienced FOMO at a level I could not even describe because I was so exhausted. I went on my own quest to improve my sleep, following common practices that sleep doctors recommend to me (and readers) every time I interview them: maintain consistent wake and bedtime (even on weekends), nix screens an hour before bed (I put my phone in a closet that I can’t reach from my bed), journaling and meditating.
Yet, the 3 a.m. wake-ups and thoughts persisted. In late March, I turned to my frenemy, Amazon, and clicked “purchase” on one thing. The night it came was the first night in years I clocked a solid eight hours of sleep, and it has been pure bliss for my physical and mental health ever since.
Related: This Common Nighttime Habit Could Increase Your Stroke Risk by More Than 40%, New Study Warns
The One Thing That *Finally* Helped Me Sleep Through the Night
I bought blackout curtains for myself as a birthday gift in March, installed them the day they arrived in April and slept better that night (and ever since). After trying seemingly everything else to improve my sleep, short of shelling out $300 on a fancy alarm clock with white noise (which was next), I realized my room wasn’t as dark as it could be. We had blinds up until this point, and light trickled in from cars, street lights and the neighbor’s yards.
I had previously tried a sleep mask but found that it woke me up at 2 a.m. when I unconsciously began to rip it off. That was when I ditched (and hadn’t revisited) the idea of making my sleep space darker.
Still, I’ve recently learned that studies also suggest that light exposure can affect sleep and our overall health. For instance, I haven’t been able to get a study published in 2024 out of my head since writing a story on it. In the study, researchers found exposure to artificial outdoor light could reduce sleep and increase stroke risks. Otherstudies have found light exposure during sleep can make it harder to rest and increase risks for conditions like hypertension and diabetes.
Armed with data about how light can affect your sleep (and health) and tired of 3 a.m. wake-ups, I clicked “purchase” on blackout curtains in March. They arrived a week later, and my heart was literally and figuratively happy. I was even more excited when I hung them up and immediately swooned at the dark, cave-like atmosphere of the bedroom, despite it being 1 p.m. on a sunny Friday.
My husband had a different reaction—his first comment was that the room “looked depressing.” I assured him we could open them during the day, especially after learning that early exposure to sunlight in the morning can also improve sleep. I was already daydreaming about getting my circadian rhythm back in sync. That night, those dreams became a reality. I went to bed at 10 p.m. and woke up at 6 a.m.—those elusive, recommended eight hours of sleep were mine.
Related: What Does It Mean if You Wake Up at 3 a.m.? The Symbolism and Spiritual Meaning—Explained
As someone with a healthy amount of skepticism—and who pored over data before purchasing blackout curtains—I knew a sample size of one night wasn’t enough. However, I have consistently gotten better sleep nearly every night since using the curtains. The only exceptions were a night when one child was sick and another when we were warned that we might lose childcare for a week due to an illness to our usual caretaker (it was a false alarm, thankfully). Importantly, I was able to get back to sleep within 30 minutes, whereas I typically was just “up” before blackout curtains entered my room.
Otherwise? My nightmare 3 a.m. wake-ups have ended.
Related:This 3-Minute Habit Could Help You Sleep Through the Night
How Blackout Curtains Improved My Health
Better sleep has had a ripple effect on my physical and mental health, which has also benefited my family and work. Here are the life-changing improvements I’ve noticed since blackout curtains have done a number on the number of hours I sleep each night (between seven and eight consistently).
1. I have more energy
I live an active lifestyle, partially by choice and partially by necessity (two young kids will do that). As my sleep-deprived nights slogged on, I noticed my workouts suffering. I was slower, achier and less motivated to pick up heavier weights or work until the “whistle” of my Peloton strength sessions. I also could not keep up with my sons, which was a bummer. As the weather warmed, I was hoping to ride bikes and take hikes with them. That seemed like a pipe dream with my energy in the red. At times, I began giving in and having a third cup of coffee around 3 p.m., which likely worsened my sleep issues.
While I cannot match my little ones’ boundless energy, I have ditched the need for a third cup of joe, returned to feeling great about my workout output and have enjoyed tons of time outside running amok with my family.
2. My cognitive function is better
Throughout my life, I’ve been praised (and feared by my husband) for having a great memory. Yet, for the last year or so, I’ve found myself dropping the ball. I’ve missed interview calls and started to rely heavily on my reminder app to remind me to do basic things, like packing my wallet. It was stressing me out, and I didn’t feel like myself. Yet, I know sleep is crucial for memory, per research. I still use reminders for interviews (old habits die hard), but I now almost always tap them away and let my phone know that I’m “already on it.”
3. I stopped craving peanut butter 24/7
I don’t weigh myself often—it’s just not something I obsess over. However, the lack of sleep has been stressful, and I’ve had some serious cravings for sugary foods and peanut butter. The voice in my head telling me that a spoonful of peanut butter will make working mom life go down more easily has been silenced now that I’m logging better rest.
4. My gut health improved
My gut does more than tell me when I eat something it doesn’t like. It’s also a key indicator that I am stressed. However, as I’ve addressed sleep deprivation, I’ve noticed my stomach has settled down.
5. My migraine attacks aren’t as intense
Since getting Bell’s Palsy twice in a year, I’ve developed a migraine disorder. While I’m glad to have regained full access to both sides of my face, the headaches, sensitivity to sound and stomachaches have affected my ability to care for my kids and perform daily tasks like grocery shopping.
However, logging more consistent and consecutive sleep has reduced my migraine severity, frequency and length of time I spend out of commission. Research shows fragmented sleep can trigger attacks, so I’m not surprised.
Related: This Common Habit Quietly Raises Insomnia Risk by 59%
My Advice to the 3 a.m. Club
My top piece of advice for people experiencing sleep issues who are considering blackout curtains? Give them a shot. And keep these tips in mind too:
- Be practical about it. Measure your windows, read reviews and ensure you’re ordering two curtains per pane so you can get started the day they arrive.
- Fully close the curtains. The goal is to let there be no light in the room, so shut them completely.
- Open them in the morning. I open the curtains the moment I get up and ensure I step outside for sunlight for at least 10 minutes within an hour of rising. This step helps regulate my circadian rhythm.
- Don’t fully rely on blackout curtains. I didn’t throw the baby out with the bath water the moment I got better sleep with blackout curtains. Instead, I continued to meditate, journal and maintain consistent wake and bedtimes. Combined, I’m getting dream sleep.
- Get checked out. While sleeplessness can happen for a variety of reasons, it’s always worth looking into. You may have a condition, such as sleep apnea, that can affect your health. A doctor can get you on the best track for your issue.
I’ve gone from sleep-deprived to sleep-obsessed thanks to blackout curtains, and if you’re struggling, I hope you can soon say the same. Sweet dreams!
Up Next:
Related: The One Nighttime Habit That Could Be Destroying Your Metabolism—Experts Explain
Sources:
- Life’s Essential 8. American Heart Association.
- Sleep Irregularity and Risk of Cardiovascular Events: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
- Suboptimal Sleep Duration Is Associated With Poorer Neuroimaging Brain Health Profiles in Middle‐Aged Individuals Without Stroke or Dementia. JAHA.
- How Sleep Affects Your Health. NIH.
- Outdoor Light at Night, Air Pollution, and Risk of Cerebrovascular Disease: A Cohort Study in China. Stroke.
- Light at night in older age is associated with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Sleep.
- Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function. Medical Sciences.
- Does sunlight exposure predict next-night sleep? A daily diary study among U.S. adults. Journal of Health Psychology.
- About Sleep. CDC.
- The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Review.
- Sleep Deprivation and Memory: Meta-Analytic Reviews of Studies on Sleep Deprivation Before and After Learning. American Psychological Association.
- Investigating the relationship between sleep and migraine in a global sample: a Bayesian cross-sectional approach. The Journal of Headache and Pain.
