A stupid controversial morning task
Growing up, most of us were told, “make your bed!” a chore we hated as much as being told to clean your room. In the adult world, some of us still feel the same. You’re already running late, have to get the kids ready – or just yourself. Making breakfast is hard enough let alone getting dressed in something coordinated (and clean) for the office. With the laundry list of morning to-do’s, making the bed isn’t exactly high priority.
Why does society demand we make our beds and keep it neat and tidy? Is the president coming to inspect a kept bed? Don’t think so. Although, we agree there are times a bed should be made – house guests, bedroom cleaning and sheet changes – there may be good reasons for not making your bed too.
We pondered bed making while watching the cat snuggle on our messy bed. Can making our bed help improve our daily routine? Will it help improve our mood after a stressful work day? Let’s explore some reasons why you should and shouldn’t make your bed.
Why should you make your bed?
- Feel accomplished – Seems too small to matter but making your bed each morning may lead to a sense of accomplishment before the start of a chaotic day. Seeing your crisp, well-made bed may deliver an instant sensation of success and feeling on top of the world. At 6 am, we all need this. This 2 minute exercise may assist in setting the tone for and organized and conquer-the-world kind of day. It’s a small but mighty feat!
- For better habits – Tidying bed linens each morning can be a “keystone habit” causing a domino effect of other smart choices and positive practices throughout the day, says Charles Duhigg author of “The Power of Habit” Once you get into the habit of bed making, you may find that feeling addictive and spread to other rooms of the house – and other areas of your life. Bring on the good habits!
Why shouldn’t you make your bed?
The almighty dust mite – yikes! Mom may have been wrong. The average bed has approx. 1.5 million dust mites scurrying between the sheets. Heat, sweat and skin naturally flaking off during sleep create the perfect environment for mites to thrive. If you make your bed in the morning you trap heat, the mites and their food under the covers.
Experts recommend leaving your bed unmade all day and make it in the evening if you enjoy the feeling of crawling into a freshly made bed. This gives time for the bedding to naturally dry out. Don’t forget to change your sheets weekly for a hygienic sleep environment – more often if you sleep in the buff.
