From Improved Productivity To Better Health: 5 Reasons Why You Should Make Your Bed!
From Improved Productivity to Better health: 5 Reasons Why You Should Make Your Bed!
Learning to make our own bed was one of the first “grown-up” chores many of us were taught as kids. The excitement young children feel at being given a real chore, however, quickly wears off and “make your bed” becomes one of those tired orders most frazzled parents give their kids along with “eat your greens,” “take out the trash” and “do your homework.”
Many parents rigorously teach their children to make their bed and keep order in their rooms, but many also give up on some rules they deem less important in order to keep a semblance of harmony in the home; and so it is that many adults today never learned this good habit and stumble out of the house every morning leaving their bedroom in disarray. There are several reasons, some of them backed by studies, that show how straightening out those luxurious sheets and making your bed daily is more important than we might realize!
1: Set the Tone for the Rest of the Day
Making your bed every morning is one small thing you can definitely accomplish every morning and sets the ball rolling for tackling and accomplishing the rest of the items on your to-do list that day. U.S Admiral William S. McCraven gave a commencement speech at the University of Texas in 2014 in which he makes a solid case for pulling up your sateen sheets and tidying your bed on a daily basis. He said: “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.” McCraven also said: “Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.” If you’re interested in exploring this topic further, check out McCraven’s book: “Make Your Bed: Little Things Can Change Your Life…And Maybe The World.”
2: Make Your Bed in the Morning for Better Rest at Night
The results from a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation indicate that many people believe an organized bedroom environment is conducive to a good night’s sleep; 62% of the study’s participants said that resting in a tidy bedroom helps them feel more relaxed and sleep better throughout the night.
3: One Habit That Leads to other Good Habits Can Affect Your Productivity, Both Professionally and Personally
Taking two minutes to make your bed each day will improve your overall productivity. It may sound far-fetched, but stay with us here! In Charles Duhigg’s book, “The Power of Habit,” he describes how making your bed every morning is a small initial shift that sets off a chain reaction helping a whole slew of other beneficial habits take hold. Frequently making good decisions will give you a sense of control in an otherwise stressful work environment. Your new motivational levels will eventually improve your productivity at the workplace.
4: Elevate Your Mood
Looking at a decluttered space will stimulate the increase of pleasure chemicals in your body, these include serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. You will feel calm and tranquil against the backdrop of your new organized room.
5: Making Your Bed May Help with Allergies
Shaking out your bedding, smoothing your sheets and pulling them up will keep them cleaner and prevent dust and allergens from settling on your tousled bedlinens during the day; make your bed daily and you’ll climb into fresh, clean bedding at night!
So stack the cards in your favor and straighten out those luxurious sheets you've invested in, you may feel the benefits in more ways than one!