Make your bed - but not always.
One Minute For Your Health #26
Have you heard that making your bed makes you a happier person?
According to research by Gretchen Rubin for her book “The Happiness Project”, this was one of the easiest changes people could make to feel happier.
Apparently, it’s also linked with sleeping better. A study by the sleep foundation found that those who made their bed almost every day were 19% more likely to regularly sleep well than those who don’t make their bed.
Making your bed can also be the first thing you achieve in a day. This can put you on a good track to keep achieving things throughout the day. Author of “The Power of Habit” even claims that making your bed helps you stick to a budget better. I haven’t read the book though so I’m not sure how that one works.
Being the research geek that I am I tried to find some evidence that making your bed is helpful on Google Scholar.
I came up with 0 studies looking into this matter.
I do however know from personal experience that days when I make my bed feel more productive than days when I don’t.
I’m just not sure if I’m more likely to make my bed on productive days, or if making my bed makes me more productive.
Should we do an informal study of our own?
Comment on this post to let me know if and why you make your bed and how you feel when you make it versus when you don’t!
*If you’re a bed maker then look out for next week’s email - I’ll give you one very good reason for not always making your bed.
P.s. Do you have trouble sleeping? Then check out my article “Why Can’t I Sleep? 5 Tips to help you sleep better.”
If you enjoy these weekly newsletters then I would love it if you shared them with … everyone you know. It helps me and I think it helps them too.
Links and References:
The Happiness Project: https://gretchenrubin.com/books/the-happiness-project/about-the-book/
Sleep Foundation Study: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/NSF_Bedroom_Poll_Report.pdf
The Power of Habit: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X
Yes, daily bed-maker here! Reason behind why is linked with your article - it feels like the first achievement of the day and sets it off on the right footing. Sometimes when going through an anxious or low phase, simply making my bed can make all the difference and it's become habit now.
Especially if it's not been a good day for any reason, retiring to a made bed kind of draws a line under it ready for a better day tomorrow.
Completely agree - especially working from home these days it’s so important for me to have that part of my living (and now working) space tidy and calming when I see it.
The virus might be out of my control but the bed sheets are not!!