The 3 Best Reasons to Pay Attention to Your Bed
We spend lots of time on or in our beds, but we typically don’t pay that much attention to this piece of furniture. Admiral William H. McRaven, author of the book entitled: Make Your Bed: Little Things that can change Your Life… and Maybe the World, said that when you make your bed in the morning if you do nothing else of note during the day you can at least say you accomplished something. When you pay attention to your bed, you do more than just organize part of your bedroom you can improve your relationships and your health.
Here are the 3 best reasons to pay attention to your bed.
Improve your health
Pay attention to your bed and plan to change your sheets once a week. Yes, once a week not once a month or once a quarter. Research shows that we sweat while we sleep. Not only that but we also shed some skin. This contributes to fungus, bacteria, and dust mites gathering on our sheets. YUCK!
Washing the sheets in hot water once a week reduces the ability for the fungus, bacteria, and dust mites to collect there. Remember to also wash the mattress pad periodically and the blankets, duvet cover, or comforter.
This website recommends showering before you get between the sheets, even if it is just for a nap. It also suggests that you avoid applying lotion just before going to bed.
Does your bed have a divot in it where you sleep? You can remove those peaks and valleys by rotating your bed every three months. You can go one step further and flip the mattress every six months.
Accomplish one thing
As the Admiral said, when you make your bed in the morning you accomplish something. Start your day off with an accomplishment and pay attention to your bed.
Make it a habit to make your bed. It sets the tone for the day. You’ve already completed one task, why not make it 2 or 3? How long did it take? Probably not long at all. Once you get into a routine of making your bed after breakfast or after your morning walk it will become a habit. It will start you thinking about what’s coming up next in your day.
Motivation to tidy your room
When you look at your nicely made bed, what else do you see? Is your bedside table littered with tissues, lotion, books, or magazines? Does this present a restful invitation to you? Are you comfortable with letting someone else see your bedroom?
Paying attention to your bed is the first step to tidying your bedroom. Take a few minutes and remove anything that doesn’t belong on the bedside table. Put the half-empty glass of water in the kitchen, the tissues in the trash, and the books or magazines where they go. Leave the one you are currently reading. The others will be there when you are ready for them.
Making your bed look like a lovely and restful place to be may motivate you to put away any clothes lingering about. Clean clothes go in the chest of drawers or the closet and dirty clothes in the laundry basket.
You will sleep better in a tidy room. Lots of clutter in the bedroom can bring a chaotic feeling to the room which, in turn, may make it hard for you to sleep well. Take the first step and pay attention to your bed. There’s little better to give you a good night’s sleep than climbing into a bed with freshly laundered sheets.
To review the 3 best reasons to pay attention to your bed are:
- Improve the chances you will stay healthy when you sleep on clean sheets.
2. Make your bed every morning to accomplish at least one thing every day.
3. Paying attention to your bed may motivate you to tidy the rest of your bedroom and you will sleep better in a clutter-free room.
Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Sign up to get Diane’s newsletter and receive short weekly tips every Monday.
