Why You Shouldn’t Make the Bed in the Morning

You will find a lot of articles and speeches telling you that you should make your bed every day. But there are some reasons it’s best not to make your bed in the morning, and they have to do with your health.

Making your bed first thing in the morning can help productivity and it makes your home look tidy. There are many good reasons to make your bed right away.

There is one big reason why you shouldn’t make your bed every day and it may be big enough to make you rethink that “good habit.”

Why You Shouldn’t Make Your Bed

At night we sweat and shed skin cells, dust mites love both of these things and really thrive in damp, humid climates. When you get out of bed and make it right away you are trapping a lot of the moisture. Airing out the bed for awhile before making it can help reduce the moisture and reduce the number of dust mites as well.

A study by Kingston University discovered dust bites can’t survive in warm, dry conditions found in unmade beds.

“Something as simple as leaving a bed unmade during the day can remove moisture from the sheets and mattress so the mites will dehydrate and eventually die,” said Researcher Dr Stephen Pretlove.

When I get up in the morning I like to open the blinds, if it’s sunny, and pull the blankets back to the end of the bed and let the bed air out for at least a few hours before making it.

Dust mites are too small to be seen with the naked eye. They are arthropods like spiders. And they may be the cause of your allergy symptoms. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says that about 20 million Americans have dust mite allergy.

How to Avoid Dust Mites

While you can’t make your home dust mite proof you can reduce their numbers but there are some simple things you can do to help.

• Allow your bed to air out before making it for at least an hour.
• Wash your sheets and other bedding at least every two weeks, once a week is best.
• Wash all sheets, blankets, and pillowcases in hot water, at least 130 F. The hot water cycle on your washer should reach this temperature.
• If your bedding can’t be washed in hot water, put items in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at a temperature above 130 F. Medium high on most dryers will reach about 135 F.
• Use mattress and pillow protectors and wash often.
• Clean your mattress. I like to do this seasonally but try to at least every six months. (Click here for How to Clean Your Mattress)
• Wash your pillows. It’s best to wash these every 3-6 months. If you are using pillow protectors every 6 months is likely fine.

Following these steps will help reduce allergens and dust mites in your bedding. You can still make your bed just wait a bit before you do. I know this goes against so many experiences teachings but it’s likely better for our health, especially those with asthma and allergies.

One of the reasons experts encourage you to make your bed in the morning is productivity. If that is your reason try out the Make Over Your Mornings eCourse it will help you use your mornings wisely and stay productive in ways that don’t include making your bed.

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