The Surprising Science Behind Making the Bed
Making your bed takes about two minutes. It’s one of those tasks that seems like it wouldn’t make much of a difference. And that’s why most people don’t do it.
Truly, isn’t your bed going to be unmade again tonight when you go to sleep? What’s the point?
Well, turns out making your bed is a small but impactful act that could alter the course of your life. And there is research to support it.
Start Each Day With a Win
In his bestselling book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World, Admiral William H. McRaven (a Navy SEAL commander), opens with this piece of advice:
Make your bed every morning.
Making your bed, while a small task, gives you a sense of accomplishment as the first task of the day. And that small win creates momentum. And momentum, as anyone who has ever had a productive day knows, is everything.
One task done leads to another. The day builds on itself, and it all started with something that took less time than scrolling through your phone first thing in the morning.
Making Your Bed = Dopamine Hit
Also, that sense of accomplishment Admiral McRaven describes is literally biochemistry.
Completing a task (even a small one) gives your brain a healthy dopamine hit.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with reward, motivation, and a general sense of feeling good. Starting your morning with a completed task means starting your morning with a genuine, natural mood boost before you have even had your coffee (or Diet Coke).
Giving yourself this small reward of dopamine every morning compounds over time. And, soon, making your bed feels less like a chore and more like a daily reward — a step toward a more productive day.
It Creates Structure and Predictability
Routines decrease overwhelm and the amount of tiny decisions your brain needs to make.
It’s impossible to remove all of life’s heaviness, but routines can help make the heaviness a little lighter. When you make decisions in advance, the loud roar turns into a dull roar that you can manage a little more easily.
So, making your bed is a small decision that chips away at that loud roar saying:
“You have so much to do today.”
“Work is stressful.”
“How can you possibly do it all?”
“You’re so tired.”
Beginning your day with a sense of accomplishment along with a fresh, tidy bed will begin to quiet this roar in surprising ways. Make the bed for a week each morning and see what happens.
A Tidy Bed is Linked to Better Sleep
According to research from the National Sleep Foundation, people who describe themselves as bed makers are significantly more likely to report getting a good night's sleep on most nights compared to those who leave the bed unmade. The physical comfort of climbing into an already-made bed is only part of it. The other part is the environment that a clean bed creates.
As sleep researchers note, while making your bed has not been proven to directly improve sleep on its own, research consistently suggests that a clean, comfortable, and relaxing bedroom environment supports better sleep quality — and making your bed is the first step in this direction.
Making Your Bed is Only The Start
Making your bed every morning is a great habit. But it works best as part of a bedroom (and a home) that supports the same sense of calm and order.
Clutter in the bedroom has been linked to elevated stress levels and disrupted sleep. A room that feels chaotic to walk into at the end of the day is not a room that invites rest. The made bed is the foundation, but the rest of the bedroom matters too.
At Distinguished Cleaning, our cleaning services keep every room in your home (including your bedroom) consistently clean so the environment you come home to every evening supports the rest and peace you desire. And when you book a weekly or biweekly clean, we fold deep cleaning tasks right in so they never pile up.
You handle this two-minute habit every morning, and let us handle the rest.
Ready to come home to a calm, peaceful bedroom? Contact us today for your free estimate and let's get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does making your bed actually make a difference?
Yes! And the research backs it up. Making your bed first thing in the morning creates a small but meaningful sense of accomplishment that triggers a dopamine release and builds momentum for the rest of the day.
It also contributes to a cleaner, calmer bedroom environment that research links to better sleep quality at night. It is a two-minute habit that leads you on a path toward peace and calm.
How does making your bed affect mental health?
A tidy, organized environment has a measurable effect on mental well-being. Cluttered spaces are linked to higher cortisol levels and increased stress and anxiety.
A tidy bed brings a sense of order and calm to your personal space. Combined with a consistently clean home, it supports better focus, mood, and emotional regulation throughout your day. Learn more about the full health benefits of a clean home in our article on the benefits of a clean home.