Imagine having a very long week — think traffic, meetings, the works — and you just want to not do anything but lie in bed. That’s what bed rotting is: it’s staying in bed for a long time while binge-watching TV or scrolling on social media sites. While the term has recently been popping up thanks to TikTok trends, the act itself isn’t new. As for the reasoning behind why people would just want to lounge around in bed, some people do it when feeling stressed or overwhelmed, while others would do it for the simple pleasure of relaxing in bed after a long day.
Mindful rest
What used to be an act of laziness for previous generations has turned into a form of self-care for Gen Z due to the demands of school, work, and society. They fight burnout by choosing to be unproductive for a day or longer, giving themselves some downtime. It might sound far-fetched at first, but the idea that lazing around in bed offers benefits may hold water. According to internal medicine physician, Meghan Galili, MD, bed rotting allows you to rest, “giv[ing] your muscles, joints, nervous system and more a chance to reset and recover from the daily stressors you endure in life.” It allows the body to recover from exhaustion, illness, or overwork without any meticulous planning or lots of resources.
Signs of a more serious problem
Despite its short-term benefits, constant bed rotting can become concerning if it extends for a long period of time, according to Ryan Sultan, MD, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute. If it becomes a habit, it can point to signs of underlying mental health problems such as depression. When accompanied by behavioral compulsion like hoarding, it can cause more harm than good. It can also be a sign of avoidance, with people running away from their problems and refusing to face issues. In the long run, problems will snowball and become bigger threats in the future. The activity can also interrupt the normal sleeping pattern of the body, leading to inactiveness which causes muscles to grow weaker.
Perfect balance of rest and work
With the current fast-paced lifestyle people are leading, some bed rotting can help if it’s done for a day or two as a form of self-care. However, if done in longer periods and made into a habit, it can be quite alarming. Not only will it affect a person’s mental and physical health, but also their relationships with other people. Experts always recommend a balance of proper rest and physical activity. It’s natural to want to decompress after a long day, but prolonged lack of movement might do more harm than good.
YouTube: What Bed Rotting Does To Your Brain
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Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been done by Erinada Valpurgieva.
Sources: Merriam-Webster / Cleveland Clinic / Health/People Inc.
