What category do you fall into – are you someone who makes your bed every morning or someone who leaves it be?
People generally have pretty strong feelings about the habit of making the bed – they are either staunchly for the process or adamantly opposed to doing it, and there’s no convincing them to behave otherwise.
The question is: is there an effect that making the bed (or not) can have on the rest of the day? Some people say there are benefits (and drawbacks) in both behaviours!
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How Making Your Bed Can Affect Your Day
Even among habitual bed makers, the process can vary from person to person. There are those that hastily throw the sheets and comforter up toward the head of the bed, toss the pillows toward the headboard, give it all a quick smooth, and call it a day. Others, however, make the bed with military precision, making sure the sheets are tucked in and the angles of the blankets are sharp.
Those who don’t make the bed can fall somewhere on a spectrum, too. Some people just don’t think about it and maybe give it a minimal half-hearted attempt to straighten the sheets up just a little, and there are others who adamantly won’t do it for their own personal reasons.
What is this doing psychologically to a person? Let’s look at some of the pros in each camp.
Pros – Bed Making
Whether you are casual or militant about your bed making, people who make the bed every day may feel a sense of accomplishment that sets them up in an action mode for the rest of the day. There is also evidence that a made bed gives people a sense of calm and cleanliness, and this is especially true if you live in an apartment or condo where you can see your bed from elsewhere in the home.
According to some polls, people who make their bed may also sleep better at night. Perhaps it has something to do with the feeling one gets when climbing into an orderly bed to fall asleep, or maybe it is that people who make their bed every day are more likely to be tired, calm, and ready for rest by the end of the day.
Pros – Not Making the Bed
For those who don’t make the bed, some have very valid reasons, too. Some people have mobility issues and find making the bed taxing on their bodies. This might be the case if the bed is too low, too big, or the blankets to cumbersome.
Another reason people choose not to make the bed is because they want the sheets and blankets to air out during the day. This rationale makes good sense. Dust mites and other micro bugs can thrive in warm, damp environments, much like in the conditions of bed linens after a long night’s sleep. Many people sleep hot and sweat during the night, so it’s not a bad idea to get some air flow in the during the day.
How to Fall Asleep Better
As mentioned above, there can be a psychological association with making the bed each morning. There hasn’t been many scientific studies to support or negate the effects of making the bed; however, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence.
In addition to starting the day with a sense of accomplishment, the potential advantages might include the following:
- A sense of calm either throughout the day or when crawling back into bed at night
- Better sleep, which has long-lasting benefits on a person’s overall health and well-being
- Enhanced organization in other areas of life
- Improved focus, especially if you work from home and don’t have to be distracted knowing the bed is sitting there unmade
- Relaxation and a sense of ease knowing that everything is in its right place
Of course, it all comes down to personal preferences and investing in your sleep health. For some people, the concept of making the bed only to unmake it every night is completely non-sensical and bothersome; for others, the day will be ruined by the thought of a messy, unmade bed nagging them throughout the day.
Whatever camp you fall into, the thing that matters the most is that you are sleeping well night after night. If you are looking to invest in your sleep health with a new mattress in Surrey, we would love to help you out.