“MAKE YOUR BED”

I know, sounds like the kind of thing your parents would say. It’s become such a habit for me that I don’t even think about it. But I know I can’t seem to leave my room without having my bed made, it’s become part of my morning routine. I wake up, stretch, shake away the cobwebs, get my bearings and … make my bed. As an added treat to myself; I have started spritzing my sheets and pillows with a fabric freshener (I use a homemade version incorporating my favourite essential oil/s blends with distilled water). I feel this gives me ‘that just washed sensation’, when I slip back into bed at night. As a side note: studies show if you use lavender, the scent calms and helps relax you. 

I found my morning practice (habit), takes less than a minute to do and makes me feel like I’m getting the day started with a sense of accomplishment; one task completed (with ease) and so many more to go.

YOUR SLEEP ENVIRONMENT MATTERS 

A made-up bed also makes my bedroom look; organized, tidy, less cluttered and overall, more inviting. We all know the importance of creating a serine sleep environment to experience your best nights sleep. Alanna McGinn is a Certified Sleep Consultant and Founder of Good Night Sleep Site, states: “our bedrooms have become our home office, our entertainment centre, our kids’ playroom … and we really need to work on strengthening the positive association between sleep and our bed.” Your serene environment should include; a cool room temperature, darkness (the darker the better), if you’re a light sleeper, you may want to incorporate a ‘noise machine’ with no technology around. Now, take a few deep breaths, relax, be grateful for the day … think pleasant thoughts, so you will have sweet dreams.

More benefits for a made-up bed include having a surface to lay out your clothes or sort and fold your laundry. It’s also a great place to take a few moments to regroup or get some peace and quiet, or meditate, or have a little chat or cuddle with your child or significant other – rather than your unmade bed with piles of bedding scattered about.

IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN

A Psychology Today report stated that of the 68,000 participants of a 2015 survey distributed by Hunch.com, 71 percent of people who made their beds every day considered themselves happy, while 62 percent of those who neglected their bedroom tidying admitted to feeling unhappy. What’s more, bed-makers noted that they were satisfied in their work life, followed a regular exercise routine, and even felt more rested than non-bed-makers. Those are some convincing findings to support improved productivity.

FEEL ACCOMPLISHED 

More findings: in Charles Duhigg book, The Power of Habit, “making your bed every morning is correlated with better productivity, a greater sense of well-being, and stronger skills at sticking with a budget.” And goes on to say that “keystone habit,” are patterns kick starts other good behaviours, because they happen everyday, so you’re likely to make better choices for the rest of the day.

Taking it a step further: Navy Seal, William H. McCraven, commander special operations team stated the same in in his 2014 commencement speech at the University of Texas. Stating: “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. 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.”

Try to make this small change in your morning routine and I’m sure you’ll experience the difference … Sleep Well!

Written By: The Springwall Family