What are blinds in Texas Hold'em and how do they impact the game?

In Texas Hold'em, blinds are forced bets placed by two players before the start of each hand. The player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind, and the player to their left posts the big blind. Blinds help create action and ensure there is money in the pot to play for. Players must either call the blinds, raise, or fold, which adds strategy and pressure to the game.