Lauren
Whether we are in a rush to get to work or we are just feeling a bit lazy, the vast majority of us (59%) do not make our beds in the morning.
Many people offer reasons like “It will make you feel better!” and “It helps your room look clean!” in order to encourage people to make their bed each day. While these perks are fine, they are not valuable enough to convince people to start their day off by completing this chore.
However, while making your bed in the morning might seem insignificant at best and counterproductive at worst, it is actually one of the most important activities that you can do each day.
Here are three reasons why making your bed each day is more significant than you might think:
Making your bed will improve your sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep each night is essential for strengthening our immune system, processing and consolidating information, and restoring the body. Because sleep deprivation can cause a host of health issues, it is vital for individuals to get the proper quantity and quality of sleep they need each night.
According to a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, people who make their beds each day are 19% more likely to say they get a good night’s sleep every day or almost every day.
Although making your bed each day might seem like a waste of time, it can lead to an improved quality of sleep, which makes the few extra minutes it takes to finish this chore more than worth it.
Making your bed will decrease your stress levels
When you make your bed, it will help your bedroom look cleaner and less cluttered. While this might not seem like a big deal, it can have drastic effects on your stress levels and your level of happiness.
A study published in Current Psychology showed that living in a space surrounded by clutter can decrease satisfaction. Moreover, a UCLA study found that there is a correlation between stress and the amount of clutter in a person’s living space.
When you make your bed, you lower the appearance of clutter in your room, allowing for lower stress levels and greater levels of happiness as you relax in your clean space.
This habit will enforce other positive habits
Are there specific habits that you are trying to make a part of your life? Maybe you want to start exercising daily or reading books before bed. No matter what new practice you want to pick up, it will be far easier if you start by making your bed up each day.
According to Charles Duhigg, author of the best-selling book, The Power of Habit, certain “keystone habits,” like making your bed each morning, can start a chain reaction that will help you successfully take on other positive habits.
If you start your morning with the simple habit of making your bed, you might be surprised by how many other good habits will eventually take hold.
As you can see, there are many great benefits to making your bed each morning. Tomorrow morning, try turning over a new leaf (or sheet, if you will) and see how this small habit can make a big difference.
