Do not make your bed as soon as you wake up, doc explains why |
We all have heard it: make your bed as soon as you get up. This habit was considered a hallmark of discipline and good behaviour. And those who followed the rule without a second thought were the ‘organised’ and the ‘sorted’ ones. But guess what? It’s time to quash that rule. Making your bed as soon as you wake up is perhaps the worst habit. Yes, science says so.
The hidden dangers of making the bed
For decades, we have been told to make our bed the moment we wake up. But let’s understand what happens if we follow this rule. If you make the bed as soon as you wake up, the warmth and humidity we generate during sleep through sweat and respiration get trapped on the bed and the sheets. This, along with dead skin, becomes a perfect breeding ground for dust mites. The dust mites are microscopic organisms that thrive in warm, humid environments, such as bedding, mattresses, carpets, and upholstered furniture.Dr Tania Elliott, a dual-board-certified physician in internal medicine and allergy/immunology trained at Mount Sinai Hospital, said that this habit might actually be working against your health. “Here’s one thing I never do first thing in the morning: I don’t make my bed,” she said in a video shared on Instagram.Why does the doctor not follow this age-old advice? “It locks in moisture, grime, and other things that may have come off your body. It can increase your chances of more dust mites growing in your bedding. A study showed that when you make your bed, it actually locks the dust mites in and can make your allergies worse,” she said. A 2005 study conducted at Kingston University in London found that an average bed could be home to up to 1.5 million house dust mites. But dust mites cannot survive in the warm, dry conditions found in an unmade bed. A new research by University of Pittsburgh published in the journal Nature Immunology, explored how inhaled house dust mites, a common trigger of allergic asthma, activate the immune system and drive the disease. The seemingly harmless dust mites can cause more problems that you think.So does that mean you should not make your bed? Not really. Instead of making your bed the second you wake up, Dr Elliott suggested waiting a couple of hours. “I wait a couple of hours, let my bed air out, and make my bed more in the middle of the day as opposed to first thing in the morning,” Dr Elliott said.What you can do right after waking up is let the light in. Pull back your covers, open your curtains or blinds to let in natural light, and allow air to circulate. When your bed is exposed to light and air, it creates an environment that dust mites and other microorganisms cannot survive.Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment, or before changing your diet or supplement regimen.
