6 Good Reasons to Make Your Bed Everyday

What’s the first thing you notice when you walk into a nice hotel room? The perfectly made bed, of course! It practically jumps out at you.

Few things in life match the deliciousness of getting into a beautifully made bed.

It’s tempting, I know, to leave your bed unmade in the morning, especially if you’re just going to get in it again (a solid argument). But a surprising amount of evidence suggests that this tiny little habit packs a pretty powerful punch. 

In this blog, I’m going to give you 6 good reasons to make your bed every day:

1. You’re More Likely to Sleep Better - The National Sleep Foundation found that people who make their bed in the morning are 19 percent more likely to have a good night’s sleep every night. Nineteen percent is nothing to shake a stick at if you ask me, especially if it means getting good sleep. So, if there’s a good chance I’ll sleep better just by making my bed, I'm all in.

2. You’ll Be Happier - This research pretty much knocked my socks off because it really speaks to the power of bed-making.

A survey of 68,000 people by Hunch.com showed that:

• 59% of people DON’T make their bed
• 27% of people DO make their bed
• 12% pay a housekeeper or someone else to make it for them (I have no idea who these people are.)

Interestingly, 71% of the bed-makers considered themselves happy; while 62% of the non-bed-makers admitted to being unhappy. So, the messy-bed people are roughly as UNHAPPY as the tidy-bed people are HAPPY.

Wow.

Bed-makers were also more likely to enjoy their jobs, own a home, and exercise regularly. Whereas the non-bed-makers had low job satisfaction, higher rent percentages, and didn’t exercise regularly.

Again, wow.

3. You’ll Be More Productive - In his book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… and Maybe the World, Naval Admiral William McRaven says about making your bed: “It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.”

In his 2014 commencement address, he goes on to say, “By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.”

So, in a sense, the first task of making your bed in the morning creates a “snowball effect.” A quick win that kickstarts a chain of other good decisions throughout the day.

4. You’ll be Less Stressed - When we get into bed at night, we’re going for calm, peaceful, and safe. A made-up bed creates that vibe. We spend about a third of our lives in the bedroom and its appearance has an effect on our mood. A disorganized, messy bedroom can create stress. A made-up bed, however, sends a message to the mind that you care about your sleep, yourself, and your surroundings. Taking a few minutes each morning to properly make your bed gives you a sense of taking charge.

5. It Keeps You from Getting Back in Bed - With everyone working from home these days, this one makes more sense than ever. Something about making your bed makes it harder to get back into! I lived in a studio apartment for years and making my bed was an absolute necessity. Not much separated the bed from the couch so if the bed wasn't made, I'd just crawl right back in and work from there. 

6. It Creates a Positive Link with Sleep - When it comes to sleep, it’s all about the subconscious. Our brains create links with sleep. Making your bed creates a positive link with the bedroom and sends a message to the mind that you value sleep and are willing to make it a priority. The act of making your bed also puts closure on the night before. So even if you didn't sleep that great, a nicely made bed sets you up with a fresh start for the upcoming night.

Personally, my condo might look like a tornado just blew through it, but I always make my bed. Always. Because it just makes me feel good 😊

Remember that hotel bed we talked about? The one just beckoning “heavenly sleep?” Now picture the same bed unmade. Rumpled up. A mess. Hmm... doesn't inspire quite the same feeling, does it?

Train your brain to make the bed every morning by sticking with it and see what happens. Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make the biggest difference.

"If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed." 

~ William H. McRaven

Supporting you in all things sleep, 

Beth Kendall MA, FNTP

Holistic Sleep Coach