Bed Rotting: What to Know About This Self-Care Trend
Key takeaways:
The popular TikTok term “bed rotting” means to spend the day in bed doing nothing or very little.
Some people bed rot for self-care. It’s a way to decompress and recharge mentally and emotionally.
Risks involved with bed rotting include sleep problems, depression, and inactivity.
Table of contents
Bed rotting is a popular self-care trend on TikTok. It means spending the day or weekend in bed, doing nothing more than sleeping, scrolling, or watching TV. It’s meant to reenergize you from burnout or exhaustion.
However, some experts believe bed rotting can lead to sleep problems. It can also be a warning sign for mental health issues like depression.
Below, we’ll cover the benefits and risks of bed rotting and when it’s cause for concern.
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Is bed rotting a new trend?
Historically speaking, the concept of spending the day in bed is not new. The Scots call it “hurkle-durkle,” a term that means to lounge in bed awake rather than to get up and be productive. TikTok has taken the idea and put its modern-day spin on it.
“Bed rotting has become popularized on TikTok as people glamorize the idea that staying in bed helps you feel rejuvenated,” says Amy Morin, LCSW, author of “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.”
What makes bed rotting a form of self-care?
Bed rotting and resting go hand in hand. You need rest to recover from life’s physical and mental strains.
“Giving yourself permission to rest and do exactly what you want — nothing — can be very restorative, particularly if other aspects of your life are busy and stressful,” said Lisa Marie Bobby, PhD, LMFT.
“It’s particularly helpful to fully rest in the environment that feels the safest, coziest, and most nurturing for you — your bed.”
Morin agrees that taking a break from the demands of daily life is good self-care. “But staying in bed isn’t the best way to do that,” Morin said.
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How much bed rotting is OK?
How much bed rotting is OK depends on how it’s affecting other areas of your life. If you prioritize your time in bed over important things like maintaining relationships, exercising, or managing your life, then it’s too much.
“While it’s OK to rest,” said Bobby, “it’s also important to stay self-aware and make sure that your behaviors are getting you where you want to go in life.”
That said, depending on your health, you may need more rest and more time in bed. Those with certain chronic illnesses or disabilities may need more rest than those without a health condition. In these cases, spending extra time in bed isn’t a problem if you need the extra rest.
Risks of too much bed rotting
The experts interviewed for this article had more to say about the risks of bed rotting compared to its potential benefits. Here are some of their concerns.
Sleep issues
Sleep experts recommend only using your bed for sleep and sex. Otherwise, it’s going to be harder to fall asleep each night for many people.
“Staying in bed while you’re awake will likely interfere with your ability to sleep,” said Morin. “When you stay awake in bed, you’re training your brain to stay alert when you’re there, whether it’s during the day or night.”
But keep in mind this can vary depending on your health and any disabilities you may have. It’s not always possible to reserve your bed for just sleep and sex. And that’s OK.
Avoidance
Avoidance is often an unhelpful coping strategy. It involves denying, minimizing, or avoiding issues that need your attention. Some rest is OK when you’re facing a challenging situation. But always prioritizing avoidance may make things worse in the long run.
“Bed rotting may help you deal with feelings of overwhelm, but it doesn’t do anything to solve the problems that are causing overwhelm in the first place,” said Morin. “You might think the solution is more bed rotting, but that may continue to make things worse.”
Neglecting other forms of self-care
Rest is a helpful self-care tool, but it’s also best if it isn’t your only option for self-care. “There are many more proactive ways you can improve your mental health,” said Morin.
So, if you do add bed rotting to your repertoire, don’t forget to focus on other areas of your life, such as:
Getting enough sleep
Exercising
Eating a balanced diet
Problem solving when faced with challenges
Spending time with friends and family
Practicing mindfulness
When does bed rotting become a problem?
“Bed rotting becomes a problem if it becomes a lifestyle that is counterproductive to the other hopes, goals, and ambitions that you have for your life,” said Bobby. “Additionally, a desire to withdraw and isolate is a symptom of major depressive disorder, as is having very low energy.”
In other words, it’s one thing to spend a day resting every once in a while. But if you live to bed rot, it may be a sign that something more serious is going on such as major depression.
Warning signs that bed rotting may be a sign of something else going on include:
Sleep problems if you don’t have a sleep disorder
Increased fatigue
Anxiety
Overwhelm
Hopelessness
Decreased socializing
Inability to function daily
Avoidance of responsibilities
Negative consequences in other areas of your life
Another way to think about when bed rotting may be harmful to you is to ask: What would happen if you weren’t spending so much time in bed? Would you struggle to get through a typical day for physical or emotional reasons? If so, that may be a sign your bed rotting may be a problem.
On the other hand, you can ask: Is there a reason I need to be in bed more? Are there reasons other forms of self-care aren’t an option? If you answer yes to these questions, bed rotting may not be a problem for you. For example, maybe you have a medical condition, sleep disorder, or mental health condition that benefits from extra time spent in bed.
If you’re concerned with how your experiences or symptoms affect your life, reach out to your primary care physician or a mental health professional.
Bed rotting and depression
“Bed rotting is associated with an increased risk of depression,” said Morin. “Depression causes people to think they should stay home and rest, but the lack of social interaction and the lack of positive activity make depression worse.”
She added: “Bed rotting is the opposite of what most people need.”
The bottom line
Bed rotting is a TikTok trend. It means to spend the day or weekend in bed doing nothing. Followers call it a form of self-care because it allows them to rest and recover from life’s stresses. But many experts believe it can lead to serious conditions like depression, avoidance, or increased anxiety. If bed rotting is keeping you from socializing, managing responsibilities, or making you feel down, you may want to talk to your primary care doctor or a mental health counselor.
Why trust our experts?
References
Asp, M. (2015). Rest: A health-related phenomenon and concept in caring science. Global Qualitative Nursing Research.
Dictionaries of the Scots Language. (1960). Hurkle.
Holahan, C. J., et al. (2005). Stress generation, avoidance coping, and depressive symptoms: A 10-year model. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
For additional resources or to connect with mental health services in your area, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
