Key Takeaways
- Making your bed immediately after waking can trap moisture from sweat, creating a warm, damp environment where allergy-triggering dust mites thrive.
- Experts recommend waiting at least 30 minutes before making your bed to allow moisture to evaporate and improve ventilation.
- In addition to airing out your bed, regular washing, mattress protectors, and good airflow all help reduce exposure.
Contrary to everything you’ve ever been told by all the responsible adults in your life growing up (and possibly by us too!), you don’t need to make your bed when you wake up—at least, not right away. In fact, science suggests you shouldn’t do this first thing in the morning, and the reason can be summed up in two words: dust mites.
Read on to learn how dust mites thrive in freshly-made beds and why pausing your morning routine might actually be better for you.
- Martin Seeley, CEO of MattressNextDay with nearly 40 years of mattress and sleep science expertise
Why You Should Wait to Make Your Bed
It turns out dust mites, which are microscopic insect-like pests that feed on dead human skin cells, love hanging out in bed linens, and studies have shown they thrive in moist environments. And what do you get after an especially sweaty night of sleep? Bedding that’s a gloriously damp paradise beckoning those pesky bugs, so it’s crucial to let sheets air out a bit after you pop out of bed, some experts advise.
How Long to Let Your Bed Air Out
“Given that the average person sweats 500 milliliters per night, naturally, your bed environment is the perfect breeding ground for dust mites in the morning,” says Martin Seeley, the CEO behind MattressNextDay. “That’s why it’s important to leave your bed for at least 30 minutes allowing for better ventilation, which helps disperse moisture and reduces the overall humidity in your bed.”
And Seeley isn’t baseless here—a 2006 British study does suggest this could be helpful to combat mites. So, it probably wouldn’t hurt to pull back the sheets for a while to ensure all that sweat, which equates to about 2 cups, evaporates. (For even better results, open a window or turn on a fan—in addition to pulling back the sheets—to increase airflow.) There you go, procrastinating on making your bed could actually have some benefits!
How Dust Mites Affect Health
To be clear, dust mites don’t harm us directly, but they do exacerbate allergy symptoms for many people, especially those who struggle with asthma. According to the American Lung Association, it’s actually the excrements (feces, urine, etc.) of the dust mites that trigger physical reactions like runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing—their “remnants” linger in fabrics such as bedding and we inhale them.
Even if you’re not particularly sensitive to dust mites, it might still be worth letting sheets breathe a while after you wake up. In general, it’s not a wise idea to trap moisture in textiles (or most environments, frankly) because it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, mildew, and odors. Yuck.
Replace pillows every 1–2 years and consider a mattress protector to prevent buildup of allergens and dust mites.
Should Everyone Do This?
Of course, we get that for some people, making the bed immediately is the best way to start the day and verges on being a non-negotiable. If you find that you can sleep symptom-free, then it’s likely you can continue this routine.
However, if you’re noticing allergy-related discomfort when you’re in bed, it might be worth testing this new habit out. Other good sleep-adjacent practices should be maintained too, regardless of whether or not you choose to adopt this schedule tweak, like washing sheets frequently and using a mattress protector. Procrastinators, unite!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is it bad to make your bed right away?Yes, it can be. Making your bed immediately after waking up can trap moisture from sweat, creating an ideal environment for dust mites, which thrive in warm, humid conditions. These tiny pests feed on dead skin cells and are a common trigger for allergies and asthma. Letting your bed “breathe” helps dry out the sheets and mattress surface, making it less hospitable for dust mites.
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How long should you wait before making your bed?Experts recommend waiting 30 minutes to an hour after waking before making your bed. This allows sweat and humidity to evaporate, reducing the moisture level in the bedding.
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What’s the best way to reduce dust mites in bedding?Here are the best ways to reduce dust mites in bedding:
Let your bed air out daily, avoid heavy bedspreads or layers that retain moisture, and wash bedding weekly in hot water. Use allergen-proof covers for mattresses and pillows, and vacuum your mattress regularly with a HEPA filter vacuum. Keep humidity low in the bedroom to discourage dust mite growth.
