Have you ever woken up feeling groggy and irritable? If so, someone might have snidely commented that you “woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
This is a common expression people use to describe someone who is grumpy in the morning, and particularly when their bad mood persists throughout the day. But is waking up on the wrong side of the bed a real thing?
Can You Really Wake Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed?
One survey found there is a correlation between those who sleep on the left side of the bed and those who wake up in a good mood. Those who get out of bed on the left were also found to be more social and “enjoy their job by a margin of between 4 and 10 percent respectively, according to a survey of 1,000 UK adults by Sealy UK.”
On the flip side, those who sleep on the right side of the bed have admitted to being more pessimistic, enjoying their alone time, and were generally more likely to be in a bad mood in the morning.
While there appears to be a correlation, the margins on this study were small and researchers didn’t consider other factors that could have affected participants’ moods in the morning.
Mind Over Mattress
Rather than allowing the left or right side of your mattress to affect your mood, your mindset on the day ahead has a much more powerful impact.
Research has shown that those who wake up expecting to have a bad or stressful day become the masters of their own fate. By internally forecasting stressful experiences, they can come to fruition.
Through testing and experiments, researchers found that higher levels of stress anticipation upon waking up were associated with worse cognitive functioning later in the day. However, stress in the evening was not indicative of worse cognitive performance the following day.
Therefore, findings suggest your emotional perspective in the morning is an important basis for how the rest of your day could turn out.
How To Not Wake Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed
If you typically wake up in a grumpy mood, you don’t necessarily need to switch to the other side of your bed. Instead, try de-stressing before bedtime and taking some time in the morning to get in a good mindset and prepare for the day ahead.
If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, consider these tips for next time.
- Wind down with yoga. Yoga, or even some simple stretching, relaxes your muscles by releasing tension while helping you de-stress. Whether starting your day with an hour-long yoga session or just five minutes of stretches to do before getting out of bed, setting aside this time is an excellent way to practice mindfulness and deep breathing.
- Relax with a book. Take your mind off your worries by curling up in bed with your favorite book. If you have an essential oil diffuser, use scents that promote sleep while you read.
- Try journaling. One of the best ways to avoid going to bed with a buzzing brain is by getting all of your thoughts down on paper. Write out your to-do list for the day ahead and reflect on what you want to accomplish.
- Take a warm bath. While a cold shower stimulates your mind and body and is great in the mornings, opt for a warm bath before bedtime to ease you into a relaxed and sleepy state.
- Exercise. While most don’t recommend exercising right before sleep due to the increase in heart rate and body temperature, a good workout in the morning can set the tone for your whole day. Even a short workout can get your blood pumping and help you feel more awake.
- Eat a good breakfast in the morning. Waking up groggy and hungry isn’t a good mix. To kick-start your day, eat a healthy, filling breakfast before you’re off.
- Wake up with time to spare. What’s more stressful than running late? Even if you’re not a morning person, wake up 15 minutes earlier than necessary. The more time you give yourself to get ready for the day ahead, the less irritable you’re likely to be throughout the day.
- Get in a good head space. Whether it’s listening to your favorite playlist or a motivational podcast on your morning commute, do something nice for yourself when you wake up.
Wake Up On The Right Side Of The Bed With bedMATCHⓇ
While mindset has plenty to do with your sleep and your mood, a comfortable mattress doesn’t hurt either. With Mattress Warehouse’s diagnostic sleep system, bedMATCHⓇ, say goodbye to waking up on the wrong side of the bed.
In just a few minutes, bedMATCHⓇ uses 18 statistical measurements and thousands of scientific calculations to determine the best mattresses to fit your specific sleep preferences and needs based on your body type.
We spend a third of our lives sleeping — so the surface we sleep on is extremely important. Since mattresses aren’t one-size-fits-all, choose one that fits your individual needs. If you’re unable to visit us in store, take the online bedMATCHⓇ quiz today to find your perfect mattress, and start getting better sleep tonight.