Why Making Your Bed Should Be a Part of Your Morning Routine
Gemma HenryWith that in mind, we wanted to explain exactly why we think that making your bed should be on your to-do list each and every morning. In this article, we’ll dive into the different reasons you should protect a couple of minutes a day to tidy up your bed. Read on to learn more.
Bed-making habits in the UK
We wanted to know more about the bed-making habits of Brits and so, in a recent campaign, we asked 2000 people across the UK how often they make their bed.
Here are the results of our survey:
| How often do you make your bed? | |
| Every day | 63.6% |
| 4-6 days a week | 8.5% |
| 2-3 days a week | 12.9% |
| Once a week | 5.2% |
| Every couple of weeks | 3.1% |
| Once or twice a month | 1.5% |
| Monthly | 0.6% |
| Less often than monthly | 0.8% |
| Very rarely | 1.2% |
| Never | 0.8% |
| Only when guests are coming over | 0.4% |
| Someone else usually makes it | 1.1% |
Why do some of us not make our beds?
For those that rarely or never make their bed, we decided to ask the main reason for this. Here are some of the most popular reasons that those rarely or never making their bed gave us:
| You said you rarely or never make your bed. What is your main reason for this? | |
| I don't see the point | 43.8% |
| I forget to make my bed | 4.5% |
| I'm usually in a rush in the morning and don't have the time | 6.7% |
| I prefer the look of an unmade bed | 4.5% |
| I plan to get back into bed soon | 6.7% |
| I find it uncomfortable to sleep in a made bed | 2.2% |
| Someone else usually makes it for me | 18.0% |
| I have health or mobility issues that make it difficult | 6.7% |
| I don't know how to make a bed properly | 1.1% |
| I have children or pets that mess up the bed anyway | 0.0% |
| Other (please specify) | 5.6% |
To understand the psychology behind making your bed, we partnered with psychologist, Dr. Ritz.
The psychology behind making your bed
Making your bed isn't just another item on your to-do list. There's much more to the psychological impact of this small daily task as Dr. Ritz explains below.
Habit Stacking
“Making your bed is considered a keystone habit, meaning it can initiate a chain of other positive behaviours throughout the day. Completing this task first thing in the morning has a noticeable impact on your brain. Engaging in an effort-based activity immediately after waking triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to motivation and reward. This surge in dopamine helps build momentum, boosting your drive to take on more tasks throughout the day.
Sense of Control
“Making your bed brings a sense of control and order, which can reduce stress and improve your mood. It activates the brain’s executive functions, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. These regions govern decision-making, planning, and self-regulation, which ultimately help you stay focused and productive.
Reduces Stress
“Starting the day with structure and purpose sets a mental foundation that enhances clarity and reduces stress. This small but impactful habit can create a ripple effect, leading to better discipline and a sense of achievement throughout the day.
“Maintaining a clean and organised environment contributes to a more relaxed mental state, which promotes better sleep. Keeping your bed tidy reinforces its role as a place of rest and relaxation, strengthening the mental associations that help you wind down at night, ultimately improving your sleep quality.”
Methodology
The data in this blog post comes from a survey of 2,001 UK respondents, conducted to understand how often Brits make their beds.
Kick-starting your day with a simple task
Establishing a positive morning routine is essential for getting your day started off on the on the right foot. One easy to achieve task that can actually make a difference to your day is making your bed. Though it seems like a mundane chore, the simple act of making your bed can lead to mental health benefits too.
Routine tasks, such as making your bed, help to promote a sense of order and control in our lives. When we accomplish a small task, there’s a sense of satisfaction we feel which helps to boost our mood in general as well as overall well-being (2).
What’s more, making your bed can help to set the tone for the rest of your day. By starting your morning with a (relatively easy) task that requires a degree of discipline and attention to detail, you are much more likely to approach other tasks that arise during the day with that same level of focus and determination (3).
Plus, making your bed only takes a couple of minutes of your morning to do!
Tidy bed, tidy mind: the impact on mental health
Keeping your bed tidy can also have a positive impact on our mental health. There is a strong correlation between cleanliness and mental well-being (4). When we are in a clean, tidy, and well-organised environment it has a positive effect on our state of mind.
One of the ways that making your bed helps to promote better mental health is by reducing stress. Carrying out routine tasks, such as making your bed every morning, helps to add structure to your day. It sets a positive tone and enable you to start your day on a more productive note.
Research indicates that engaging in simple tasks such as making the effort to make your bed helps to promote feelings of accomplishment. It leave you with a sense of pride and ownership over your personal space. What’s more, one small act can create a positive domino effect, leading to increased motivation and productivity throughout the day (5).
A tidy bed is also a great basis for building a calm and peaceful bedroom. Clutter and disorganisation only serve to promote anxiety which can leave us feeling overwhelmed. By taking a few minutes each morning to make your bed, you can create a tidy and organised space in your bedroom that will have a positive impact on your overall mental well-being (6).
The role of bed-making in bedroom cleanliness
Have you ever noticed that when you make your bed in the morning, it sets off a domino effect of tidiness in your entire room? It's true! Bed-making plays an integral role in helping us to maintain a tidy and organised space.
Taking the time to make your bed, instils a sense of order and discipline. But it often spurs you on to tidy up the rest of your bedroom too. And regularly making your bed in the morning followed by a quick tidy up of the room in general makes maintaining a clean bedroom a much easier task.
Again, starting your day with the simple task of making your bed helps to set a positive tone for the day ahead. This can have a knock-on effect in other areas of your home as well. After making the bed and tidying your bedroom, you’ll be more likely to be spurred on to extend this cleanliness to other areas of your home too.
Think of it as creating a calming environment through cleanliness. A well-made bed looks great and helps to promote a more relaxing vibe in your bedroom. Plus, this simple task may lead to better tidying habits all-round (7).
Boosting productivity with bed-making
Did you know that making your bed can actually even help to enhance your productivity levels too? While it may seem a small and insignificant task on the surface, the act of making your bed in the morning helps to spark productivity into the rest of your day too. And here's how:
- Accomplish something small at the start of your day: By completing the simple task of making your bed, you begin your day with a small win. This sense of accomplishment can motivate you to tackle more challenging tasks, which could, in turn, increase your productivity.
- Establish daily disciplines: By setting making your bed as a daily task, you are instilling discipline and consistency. This small habit will help you develop the discipline you need to maintain focus and organisation during the day too.
- It helps you to build an environment optimised for productivity: A neat and tidy bedroom will bring about a sense of calm and organisation to your sleep space. This can lead to improved levels of focus and concentration. When your space is clutter-free, staying on track and completing your to-do list efficiently feels much easier (8).
And so, simply by working making your bed into your morning routine, you’ll not only start your day on a positive note but also encourage good habits that can lead to improved productivity.
The aesthetics and comfort of a made bed
Having a beautifully made bed can also have a great impact on the look and invitational appeal of your bedroom.
Psychologically, a tidy bed brings a sense of calm and order. When you walk into a room with a neatly made bed, for many there is an instant feeling of peacefulness. And a neat and tidy bedroom can help to reduce stress. On the flip side, the sight of a messy or unmade bed can evoke feelings of chaos and disorganisation.For some of us, this may negativelyimpactour mood and mindset (9).
What’s more, a made bed can also help to enhance the quality of your sleep. A tidy sleeping area helps to promote relaxation and sends signals to your brain that it's time to unwind and rest. By making your bed each morning, you create a routine that prepares your mind and body for a good night's sleep. This has the potential toresult in improved sleep quality, which will help you to feel refreshed and rejuvenated in the morning (10).
At Bensons for Beds, we appreciate the importance of having a well-made bed and the impact it can have on your overall sleep experience. Our range of high-quality bed frames,mattresses, and bedding accessories are designed to provide both comfort and style, ensuring that your bed is not only visually appealing but also contributes to a restful night's sleep. Explore our collection today and discover the perfect bed that suits your needs and enhances your bedroom aesthetics.
Sources:
- https://www.keele.ac.uk/natsci/facultynews/2019/january/marie-kondo/konmari.php
- https://www.headspace.com/articles/the-secret-benefit-of-routines-it-wont-surprise-you
- https://www.cfrcltd.org.uk/national-make-your-bed-day/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3627747/
- https://www.verywellmind.com/mental-health-benefits-of-making-your-bed-5093540
- https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-reason-this-navy-seal-makes-his-bed-will-convince-you-to-do-the-same
- https://www.atidymind.co.uk/decluttering-your-home-more-than-a-fad/
- https://patient.info/news-and-features/what-are-the-mental-health-benefits-of-making-your-bed-each-morning
- https://www.homesandgardens.com/interior-design/bedrooms/reasons-to-make-a-bed-every-day
Gemma Henry - Content Lead
Gemma finds sleep fascinating and describes the discovery aspect of her role as eye-opening. Her keen eye for detail and dedication to thorough research ensures that Bensons customers get the informative sleep-based advice they're looking for.