Is the TikTok bed rotting trend really that healthy?
As soon as the alarm goes off, you actually want just one thing: to turn it off and stay in bed a little longer. From your bed, you scroll through social media or watch a series, preferably for as long as possible. TikTok calls it bed rotting, and is a big fan. The trend has been around for a while, but especially Gen Z is increasingly embracing it. It seems like an innocent way to relax, but according to experts, that's not entirely true; bed rotting can also be bad for your health.
Why is the bed rotting TikTok trend so popular?
With bed rotting, it’s about seeking out your bed more often during the day; and not to sleep, but for other activities like watching a series. You might stay in bed longer in the morning, or dive in earlier at night; but you can also crawl under the covers in the middle of the day. Especially Gen Zers are spending more of their free time in bed, and according to clinical psychologist Jeffrey Gardere, there’s a clear reason for that: they feel burnt out from all the obligations of work, school, or social life and sometimes want to escape from it. According to sleep psychologist Eleanor McGlinchey, it’s also about wanting to have a bit of control. There’s already so much to do, and deciding whether and how long you’re going to lie down feels like freedom.
Bed rotting as a form of self-care
Bed rotting certainly has its advantages; it can provide that feeling of relaxation. According to psychologist Courtney DeAngelis, a short period of relaxing in bed can help calm your body and reduce stress and exhaustion. Especially if your work demands a lot physically or mentally, this can be a way to recharge your batteries. It may seem like laziness, but it’s actually a form of self-care. Your body needs to pause sometimes and not be constantly busy. That can happen in various ways, including taking a moment in bed.
When does bed rotting become a problem?
Stretching for half an hour in the morning or lying down for an hour in between is really not a problem. Even if you spend an entire day in bed once, there’s no need for alarm bells to go off. Only when you really seek relaxation this way for days on end and for long periods does it become time for change. According to DeAngelis, you can actually cause the problems you’re trying to avoid this way. Continuously postponing work and school tasks because you’re lying down scrolling leads to new stress. You also miss valuable time with friends or family, from whom you can gain new energy. According to clinical psychiatrist Ryan Sultan, too much bed rotting can also indicate that something else is going on. “If bed rotting becomes a habit, it can possibly be a sign of depression or other mental health issues.”
Why bed rotting can disrupt your sleep
You might think that going to sleep after a night of bed rotting is actually easy; you’re already in the right place, after all. But that’s not the case. According to DeAngelis, it actually makes falling asleep harder. “Your body can be confused at night and not know whether you’re trying to fall asleep or just lying in bed.’ Spending a lot of time in bed also means you’ll move less; and that movement can help you sleep better. Therefore, DeAngelis has one clear piece of advice: ”It’s best to find a comfortable place outside the bedroom to do other activities, and only go to bed when you’re ready to sleep.“
Bed rotting, but in a healthy way
Should we now massively stop relaxing in bed? No, certainly not; but there are a few points to pay attention to, to prevent it from going in the wrong direction. First, how you fill those moments of bed rotting can be very decisive. Reading, meditating, or journaling are activities that will help you find that relaxation. Then there’s also the time; staying in bed too long is not good, so it can help to set a timer. Timing your free time may sound annoying, but we all know that otherwise, you can scroll for a few hours. Try not to make bed rotting part of your daily routine, and also seek your relaxation in other ways; a bit of fresh air will do you good too. As long as you pay attention to this, you can definitely plop down every now and then. That can also just be really nice.
