Doctor warns against making bed first thing in the morning and there's a scientific reason for it

We’re often taught that one of the first things to do after waking up is to make our own beds. It is portrayed as a good practice and a responsible start to the day. Many people associate discipline with the act of making one’s bed. However, there’s one peculiar reason you shouldn’t be making your bed — at least the first thing in the morning. Dr. Sermed Mezher pointed out that for the sake of one’s physical health, one should avoid making their bed as soon as they wake up. He shared that “your health will thank you” for leaving your bed messed up for a bit in the mornings. 

Dr. Mezher pointed out that no matter how clean our sheets and pillows may be, they are prone to catching harmful dust mites through the night. Even if you sleep alone or keep your room locked all day in hopes of keeping it clean, dust mites are bound to be present. “You’re never sleeping alone. That’s because our beds contain millions of these dust mites,” Mezher shockingly explained. The doctor shared a glimpse of what the nasty creatures look like under a microscope and it was not a pleasant sight to visualize. What’s worse is that these mites feast on human skin and have a great opportunity to do so in our beds, where we spend the most time sleeping. 

Elaborating further, the doctor mentioned that making our beds in the mornings creates a pleasant moist place which keeps the mites intact and allows them to remain comfortable in our beds. “They love moisture and when we make our beds in the morning, this helps them to survive,” he remarked. The next step for any bad bacterial element like the mites is to breed in a space they get comfortable in. That’s exactly what the mites do. They reproduce and remain until it's time for bed, when they attack your skin.

Dr. Mezher also explained that these dust mites can be allergens that have vivid effects on people's health without them even knowing. “They can cause things like ongoing nasal congestion or random rashes,” he noted.  A favorable solution then is to avoid making one’s bed for at least 30 minutes. This will ensure that there’s minimal to no moisture, and the mites won’t have anywhere to go. While it doesn’t guarantee the complete elimination of the mites, it will drastically reduce their number and thus their impact.

“Many of them can find solace in our mattress as well. So getting a dust protector layer for that will also help. For these reasons it’s also a great idea to change your sheets every week,” he suggested. People found much delight in the idea of not having to make their bed in a sleepy state. However, others found it a hindrance to their well-made routine. @nasireal wrote, “It might sound weird but making my bed in the morning keeps me sane.” @eileen.sha sarcastically said, “I’m not lazy, I’m just health conscious.” @user5edvavisey added, “I knew there was a reason I just didn’t want to make my bed naturally.”

You can follow Dr. Sermed Mezher (@drsermedmezher) on TikTok for more content on health and living.