I don't like going to bed. Nor do I like getting out of it. It's a conundrum.
My office desk is exactly 7 feet away from my bedroom. Every time I leave my office to go downstairs or outside this is what I see. Comfortable bed, napping cat, linen bedding, fluffy duvet ...
It's not that much of a temptation in the summer, but in this gutter of a season we call late winter - it's as persuasive as a late night infomercial to an insomniac. I've only succumbed to the temptation once or twice and the main reason for that is not my military-like discipline. It's the fact that my bed is already made.
If it were all a jumble of sheets and pillowy down I might be more likely to swan dive into it. But it's made, so I continue on with my day instead of curling up to sleep. Pulling back the covers and getting into an already made bed in the middle of the day is pathetic. Whereas falling into one that's still an unmade mess is just practical. Smartly taking advantage of a situation, really - I mean when you think about it.
That's reason number 1 to make your bed in the morning. The other billion reasons all lead to happiness.
According to a study by Hunch.com only 27% of people make their bed. Which is too bad because
70% of people who make their beds consider themselves to be happy.
Happiness expert, Gretchen Rubin; The Power of Habit author Charles Duhigg; and US Navy Admiral William H. McRaven all believe in the POWER of making your bed.
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Gretchen Rubin says making your bed is also one of the most effective and easiest triggers of happiness.
Charles Duhigg describes making your bed every morning as a "keystone habit". A way to kick start a pattern of good behaviour for the rest of the your day, week, month, life.
But most impressive is US Navy Admiral William H. McRaven's commencement speech. Here's just a little bit of it ...
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Mary W
I always make my bed every morning before dressing, using the bathroom, anything else as if I do begin with something else, I don't go back and make my bed. I do find it more inviting to get into each night and I consider myself a very happy and blessed woman. Don't have more money than I require to live and have family close by. I also get up knowing that I will soon have a Karen post to view and bring a smile. The video was extremely worth the effort to read and I've already recommended it to my SIL who is full of Dad jokes and as a teacher and coach, is addicted to goal forming videos.Thanks again for your really good information.
Janine Lepore
I always make my bed. Some days, it seems that is the only thing I accomplish! I also consider myself to be a happy person. (That said, I am not sure I would be happy if my husband made the bed, did a messy job of it, and I had to re-make it so that it was done right. Luckily for me, the thought would never occur to him in a million years; so I guess my future happiness is secure!)
Patricia
I make my bed almost every day. If I miss a day, I make it before I get in it at night. I wear pajamas year round and I'm generally a happy, positive person.
Thera
I generally do not make my bed but I have a big fuzzy throw blanket to cover myself with if it does happen to be made. Do I sleep naked, ewwww no thank you. Am I happy, blissfully so! Do I make a lot of money, nope well under the poverty line.
Rachel
There is a lot of thoughts circulating that a made bed traps moisture and bacteria. Supposedly, if the blankets are left loose and messy, the linens dry out and stay fresher/cleaner. Interesting, no?
Karen
Yes, but if you follow the link that I provided (in response to a similar comment) :) you'll see that it doesn't really make any sense. It's not like sheets are made of plastic. Read the article if you can be bothered to search in the comments for it. I mean, I couldn't even be bothered to find the article link again so I don't blame you if you don't go looking for the reference, lol. ~ karen!
Shelley
I never ever make my bed, and I consider myself to be happy (also one of the nude sleepers). You're just going to mess it up again anyway, and those sheets you just sweated in all night need to breathe and dry out.
ShirlUK
Yes, I always make my bed and am another happy person.
Leslie Barnard
I definitely make my bed every morning with very few exceptions and it definitely affects how I start and end my day. AND I consider myself to be a pretty happy, optimistic person!
charlotte Tataryn
I forgot, I don't like going to bed either, it's a lot of work and no, I'm not much at getting up, but better at the later, than the former. And I am not a change my clothes in the evening person either. I am quite comfy in my day clothes, minus the UGGS, until it's bed time. I am definitely NOT a PJ person, but there are days I don't get out of my "sleep clothes", because I am on some #mariekondo clean up, clean out day. And my husband, who is in his pyjamas relatively early says he feels like an old man, as his grandpa used to do that, after work.
Enough said. Now I have to retype all this crap. God I love my PC with it's normal keyboard; I can find anything, as mentioned, even in the dark. I can't type two words on our laptop without it skipping to an alternate line, deleting everything I just wrote, etc. Maybe I AM old!
charlotte tataryn
ever wonder why one responds to a blog, that isn't even current to the date, with hand lotion on, that sticks to the keyboard. Yah, me neither. My bed making goes waaaay back to my teens, and my mom who was a stickler for neatness, and having her rules followed. One day she told me to make my bed before going to school. I was a little tardy, and bed making didn't happen. When I got home from school, I knew I was in trouble, but it was my room, essentially, that was in trouble. All drawers, closet contents were on the floor, and on top of that was my bedding, unmade of course, mattress, and box spring. I kind of figured out that was my 'thing' before supper. Once all back in place, and in those days, ironing wasn't an option. We wore cotton, and linen, and wool, and natural fibres, and we all know what they look like when just sat on, let alone under a pile of, well, bedding weight, plus a box spring. That was my last test of Mom's temperament, and my bed was made faithfully, from that day forward. Interestingly enough, despite many of you thinking of this as unsual, and perhaps almost corporal punishment, I continued to iron (until of late/steamers are great), and I fell in love with a) a made bed, and b) amazing bedding. I spent $ I didn't have to buy the best bedding I could afford, and it didn't look beautiful if it wasn't made. Now, comes linen, and linen looks best after ironing, and crumpling, but I still make it, it's just a little more dishevelled, as it should be, and No Karen, it's not ALL linen, because I have to FIND mine, and it's not easy into today's recycling market. People buy it and sell it one line, for LOTS of $. I have to depend on thrift store mistakes, and the very, very rare garage sale. However, I have stock for a millennium, so as long as I only use 1 piece, against some very beautiful, vintage cotton, it's good enough for me. So, military style, yes I'm guessing they make their beds (I have watched enough movies, and no, my coins don't bounce, but that is only because I have arthritic hands. Furthermore, I am not sure I am happier than most but I'm happy enough, and my husband will attest that if I awake at 5 a.m., before him, for a pee, I remake the bed around him, before getting back in. It's 24 years - he ignores it. And, if by chance I don't get back UP here during the day, and he's going to bed early, the bed MUST be made before he gets in, and that still drives him a wee bit nuts, but again, 24 years, he knows it's not an option. So, statistically, I'm going to say that people with OCD parents, may grow up to be slightly OCD themselves, and if bed making is included in that parameter, then so be it. And military people, of course, make their bed, and if that makes them more successful, than hooorah!!! So, now I am off to bed, on my side, still made, and my husband has yet to role over and mess his side up. And I wrote this in the dark, without moving my fingers. Maybe it DOES MAKE you more successful, as typically, lit keyboard, which I don't look at, wrong fingers make Goolash out of emails. good morning, good evening, good day Karen. I have a question about an art piece, I think may be a beautiful, bulb growing vase/container, but it would have to have denatured water in it, so as not to etch the glass. Do you think this will work. It was 50 cents, but it's a piece of art, and I probably could grow bulbs (or beets, as beets are very colorful, above and below the water), but a hyacinth may be spectacular, as I'm guessing more floral than said beet. Anyway, good night, and good morning. It's past 12, here.
Laurinda
Yes, I make my bed. Sleeping on wrinkled sheets hurts my skin (& isn't that odd?) & a nice made bed is so much nicer to get into at night
Karen
Wrinkled sheets hurt? I suspect you might then feel a pea under your mattress as well. ;) ~ karen!