Reply To: Washing negel vasser before getting out of bed

It is said from the Vilna Gaon, that after the Ger Tzedek, Avraham ben Avraham zt”l was martyred in Vilna in 1749, that the spiritual constitution of the world has become altered in such a way that a Jew was no longer bound to wash his hands in te morning within 4 amos of his bed. Rather, the entire house would be considered as 4 amos for this regard. This is why most non-chasidic ashkenazi Jews follow this custom now.