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Should I sleep with the curtains open?

Last updated: October 15, 2026

If you get natural light in the morning, leaving the curtains open gives your body clock a natural wake-up signal. But in a city, or if you need to sleep past dawn, blackout curtains can help you sleep better.

For early risers

Open curtains let early morning sunlight gradually rouse you, which may make waking feel easier and helps align your circadian clock with daylight. Best for those who naturally rise around dawn.

For everyone else

If you sleep past sunrise, early light can wake you before you are ready. Blackout curtains plus a sunrise alarm (or light therapy lamp) at your chosen wake time give you the best of both worlds.

Urban concerns

Streetlights and car headlights through the window can disturb sleep, since light is what tells your brain to hold back melatonin. Blackout curtains protect against this.

Sources

1. National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH). Circadian Rhythms fact sheet