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Waking up in the morning and making your bed seems like a somewhat mundane task, but do not underestimate the power of making this chore a part of your daily routine. According to Verywell Mind, the possible mental health benefits of making your bed – including better sleep, reduced stress, and a clear calm mind – may surprise you.
Make your bed and change your life
The Washington Post shares the poignant words of William H. McRaven, retired Navy four-star admiral, who authored a book about the many mental health benefits of this task entitled Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life... And Maybe the World.
“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small, simple pride and encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. By the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed,” McRaven told the 2014 graduates of the University of Texas.
“If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right,” he added. McRaven’s speech went viral, inspiring many people around the world to adopt his theory that achieving this simple and small success can be the first step toward having a successful day.
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Improved sleep hygiene
Another great reason to commit to bed making is that it can actually help you sleep better at night. Web MD reports that a made bed not only can start your day off right but can also be a much more pleasant place to come back to at bedtime. A person’s sleep environment plays an important role in the quality of their sleep and poor "sleep hygiene"- including things that might be distracting like noise, light, stress, and clutter - can lead to very negative sleep patterns.
Returning to a bedroom that is a safe haven, with a clean and inviting bed, after a hectic and stressful day will definitely improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.
How to get the habit to stick
If you want bed-making to be a steady daily habit, connect it to a morning routine you already follow, suggests Very Well Mind. Since it really only takes a few minutes to make your bed, try to do it first thing in the morning or maybe immediately following brushing your teeth. Some people do well with a reminder on their phone to help to ensure this gets done.
If you share a bed with another person, there is a little bit of coordination that needs to happen to make this habit stick. Some prefer to work solo, some like the idea of working alongside their partner. Some couples decide that the last person out of bed is in charge of tidying it up.
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Whatever way you decide to go about it, once you make the decision, it is really just a matter of waking up in the morning and taking a few extra minutes to smooth your bedding and fluff your pillows. You will feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that your first task of the day has been successfully completed and from there you can go out into the world grateful to have a clean and comfortable place where you can rest your weary body at the day’s end.
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