Start Your Day Right: The Science of Bed-Making & Mental Health

The Psychology Behind a Made Bed

The Power of Small Wins

In the book titled The Progress Principle, authors Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer cover how powerful having small wins throughout your day can be. 

If you can complete an easy task first thing in the morning, like making your bed, it’s invigorating and creates a sense of accomplishment. This has the power to set the tone for the rest of your day and provide the energy you need to tackle the rest of your to-dos for the day.

The Domino Effect

Small wins can be incredibly motivating. First you make the bed, then you get ready for the day, then you’re sorting laundry, taking care of those bills, making a meal plan for the week and so on. 

Checking one thing off your list creates momentum, setting off the domino effect and making it easier to continue to tackle the other items on your to-do.

Mental Clarity and Reduced Stress

As simple as a well-made bed might seem, it’s actually much more powerful than a few linens pulled in place. It creates a sense of order in your space. Visual clutter has the ability to clutter your mind as well, so when you take that first step to organize your space, you’re also freeing up your mental load to more effectively tackle your day.

It can also help with habit stacking, an intentional routine technique that can help you be more effective and reduce stress. By building one habit on top of another, it makes it easier to remember everything you need to do, almost making it second nature and eliminating the stress you may feel around your daily to-do’s.

If you’re looking for habits for good mental health, making the bed is an easy (and incredibly effective!) place to start!

What Science Says About Making Your Bed

Reduced Anxiety

As we’ve already established, a tidy space means a tidy, and calmer mind. In addition to helping reduce stress, making your bed each day to help reduce anxiety as well.

If your space is cluttered, it’s very easy to start feeling overwhelmed. Have you ever looked around your home or a specific room in your living space and thought, “I literally have no idea where to start!”? 

Well, starting with something small grants you that “small win,” initiates the domino effect, and has the ability to relieve the anxiety that you feel and propel you forward!

Productivity and Motivation Booster

If the first thing you do every day when you get out of bed is to turn around and make it, you’re doing yourself a favor in more ways than one. Yes it looks nice, and it gives you that little push at the beginning of your day, but it can also help to eliminate decision fatigue. 

It’s so very tempting to hear your alarm go off, hit snooze, and start a little mindless scrolling while you lay in bed. But if you have the first to-do already lined out as part of your routine, you’re removing the “will I/won’t I” from it, making it easier to get up and get it done.

Doing this also serves as a signal to your mind that it’s “go-time.” Alarm goes off, you make the bed, and then you’re off to the races. It can feel like a battle to get yourself out of bed some days, but by establishing this habit, you can hardwire your brain to be more alert and ready to go once you complete this one simple task.

The Habit-Forming Power of Bed Making

Building a Routine

So what’s the best way to start establishing this habit of daily bed making? There are a number of ways you can do this! Here are some ideas to help spark some inspiration:

• Set an alarm for 1 minute after your wake up alarm as a reminder to make your bed. Once the habit is second nature, you can probably delete it!

• Put your phone or alarm clock out of reach so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off in the morning. Look, you’re already up!

• Try habit stacking. Identify an existing morning habit or routine you have, such as brushing your teeth, and stack bed making on after finishing that habit.

• If you have kids, make a game out of it to see who can make their bed the fastest. You can also race your spouse or partner to see who can make their side of the bed more quickly!

• Give yourself a reward once you’ve finished; “When I’m done, I’ll turn on my podcast”

• Time yourself and see if you can set a personal record.

• Do you like checklists? Add it as a daily to-do and get excited about checking off that box!

Discipline and Mindfulness

It’s very likely that you have bigger goals that you’re trying to achieve and overcome. By mastering the discipline that comes with making the bed each day, you can build up your discipline to tackle those larger goals, as well. How you start each day can make a huge difference beyond order and cleanliness in your bedroom!

A Simple Act of Self-Care

At its very core, making your bed can be seen as one of the most basic and foundational acts of self-care you can give yourself.

Make the bed, keep your room tidy, and you’re creating a sanctuary for yourself where you want to spend your time and where you can take care of yourself, recoup from your day, and get energized for the days ahead of you. 

How to Make Bed Making Effortless

Quick Tips for Success

Looking for ways to make bed making as simple as possible? We have some ideas for that, as well:

• Use less layers. The less blankets and covers you have, the faster you’ll be done!

• Keep your accent pillows at a minimum. Hey, we love an assortment of beautiful pillows to pretty up your bed! But you should have as many as you’re willing to arrange on your bedspread each morning.

• Switch to zipper bedding. There’s no faster way to make your bed each day!

Why Zipper Bedding is a Game Changer

Zipper bedding makes it easier than ever to make your bed quickly. Just line up the pieces and zip it shut. It truly is as easy as that!

It works for virtually any bed; whether it’s bunk beds or corner beds or RV beds, whether it’s for your young children, or it’s a set for yourself, everyone can benefit from zipper bedding. It’s like the ultimate bed making cheat code.

Beddy’s: Make Your Bed Make Your Day

Here at Beddy’s, we are incredibly passionate about providing you with quality zipper bedding that simplifies your life and elevates your spaces. We know the power of a well-made bed, but in order to get there, you need to make it easy to accomplish the task.

That’s how Beddy’s zipper bedding was born; we saw a need for easy-to-make bunk bed bedding, and from there, zipper bedding paved the way for everyone to have easier mornings.

So if you’re looking for ways to reduce anxiety and stress, give yourself small wins to help accomplish big goals, and have a beautifully made bed on top of it all, we’ve got you covered! Shop Beddy’s zipper bedding today!