Over the summer, my roommate rarely — if ever — made her bed. Conversely, I always made mine.
I loved that dynamic because I found it amusing. We were like a mismatched but complementary duo of characters on a sitcom.
I also found it funny how my roommate always woke up much earlier than I did and had a whole morning routine — including going to the gym — yet that routine blatantly did not include making her bed.
But why did that dynamic amuse me?
It could’ve been because I was caught off guard by cognitive dissonance — my roommate’s disorderly comforter, bunched up on her bed each day, didn’t align with her morning-person energy. At least from my perspective.
Or it could’ve simply been because I’m indoctrinated by a society that conditions us to make our beds sans clear explanation, so I was caught off guard by someone who not only didn’t make her bed, but was completely unapologetic about it.
Not that she has anyone or anything to apologize to: It wasn’t an act of rebellion against the system, she just doesn’t make her bed.
Making one’s bed is one of those things people are oftentimes taught and forced to do from a young age, not because it makes sense to them, but solely because an authority figure tells them to. We blindly follow the rules of older generations without challenging them.
It is difficult to see the point of making your bed, especially considering common arguments for making it. If the sheets will just be unraveled later in the day whenever it’s time to go to sleep, why arrange them neatly every morning?
So why do we make our beds? How does it help us in our daily lives? What does this habit theoretically contribute to our wellbeing, if anything at all?
Is it to be presentable? To appease tradition? To keep the bed clean?
I tried to look this up, and I admit I was disappointed by the lack of information I found. The scientific research on this topic is minimal. However, I can relay the most credible and recent material I did get some use out of.
A 2011 study done by the National Sleep Foundation — aptly titled the “Bedroom Poll” — found that 88% of survey participants reported making their beds a few times a week.
The foundation also noted that people who make their beds regularly are more likely to have a better night’s sleep. They added that the bedroom environment and cleanliness proportionately influence the quality of sleep.
The Good Housekeeping Research Institute writes people who make their beds get more sleep on average than people who don’t, and that tidying sheets allows linens and pillows to maintain their shape longer.
Making the bed also has potential mental health benefits, according to some sources. William H. McRaven — author of the book “Make Your Bed” — says accomplishing the first task of the day will encourage one to continue completing additional tasks throughout the day.
McRaven also suggests that doing the little things in life matter. One of his quotes is “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
Even though I now know reasons people support making the bed, I still don’t know why we started doing it in the first place.
I also don’t understand why some people spend so much of their time in the morning crafting together an enviable bed with their multi-step methods and proper folding techniques. I just pull up my top sheets and tuck them in every morning. I don’t even have a pillow.
Ultimately, in my opinion, it is important to know the reasons why you perpetually do something — whether it’s a common habit or a personal lifestyle — because simply feeling the pressure of doing it isn’t enough. The full story is necessary to instigate motivation.
The study results and alleged benefits above don’t necessarily apply to all people, and lifestyles shouldn’t be generalized because there are always more factors to consider.
If you suffer from internal or external circumstances beyond your control, making your bed daily will not automatically heal your suffering, grant you more motivation or allow you to sleep better.
Conversely, even if you don’t make your bed, you may still be a very productive and well-rested person — like my roommate last semester was.
So make your bed or don’t make your bed. It’s your choice. There are a lot more important things in life than making your bed, so figure out what’s important to you.
