Buzz
Great news for the lazy: There’s a valid reason to delay making your bed. Yes, you should still do it like a responsible adult—but take this as permission to wait a bit. Here’s why.
Why should you delay making your bed?
The idea of postponing bed-making isn’t new, yet it’s not widely known. In 2005, researchers at Kingston University conducted a two-year study revealing that dust mites—up to 1.5 million of which may reside in your bed—struggle to survive in the warm, dry environment of an unmade bed.
Renowned UK cleaning expert “Mrs. D.” also advises against making your bed immediately after waking up. On Instagram, she explained that since humans sweat heavily at night, "by making your bed first thing every morning, you trap all that moisture, creating a perfect breeding ground for dust mites and bed bugs."
That’s pretty disgusting—arguably worse than an unmade bed. Instead, wait about an hour before making it, regardless of what your self-help books claim about morning tidiness fostering discipline and productivity.
Still, don’t skip making your bed
We’ve long emphasized that making your bed daily is essential, so don’t let this newfound mite knowledge become an excuse to ignore the habit. We even have plenty of tips to help you do it quickly and efficiently, so once that hour has passed, you’re out of excuses.
Dr. Michael Breus, known as “The Sleep Doctor,” recently shared survey results from his company, revealing that while only 38.4% of adults make their bed daily, 45.4% of them fall asleep within 20 minutes at night. He suggests this is because "a clean room reflects a clear mind"—not exactly scientific, but certainly a comforting notion. Keep your space even cleaner and more inviting by not giving mites a cozy, damp, freshly-made bed to settle into.
