We’ve all had those days where productivity is just not in the cards. Whether it’s due to the culmination of a few rough days at the office or a can’t-miss schedule of football on the horizon, having a day to yourself without any accomplished tasks is nothing new to most individuals.
But would you believe that the art of doing nothing is actually gaining some momentum on social media? Yes, being unproductive for hours and even days on end is the latest trend on TikTok, appropriately referred to as “bed rotting.”
This trend is rooted in the notion of self care and recharging your internal batteries after burnout, but should you really be lying in bed for the sake of better mental wellness? In this case, the science goes against the trend.
Despite its popularity amongst Gen Z on social media, many experts believe bed rotting to be counterproductive with regard to improved well-being. We spoke with Dr. Raj Dasgupta, Chief Medical Advisor at Sleepopolis, a website dedicated to comprehensive sleep-industry info, to get a better understanding of this hip new way to recharge— and why it could be doing more harm than good in the long run.
What Is Bed Rotting?
According to Dr. Dasgupta, bed rotting involves staying in your bed for extended periods of time for the sake of recharging your energy stores. Rather than sleeping during these periods, bed rotting involves passive activities like scrolling social media, eating an appealing snack or binge watching your favorite TV series.
“To ultra simplify that, my short answer is, literally, it’s lying in bed and unfortunately, being unproductive,” he says.
While it may be enticing to lounge away without a care in the world, Dr. Dasgupta cautions that what you see on social media may not be the absolute truth in practice. Sure, there’s merit to giving your body and mind a chance to recuperate after strenuous activity, but lying prone for this length of time, essentially avoiding any outside stressors, can be a detriment to your psyche, especially for those suffering from more serious issues.
“TikTok somehow has a way of making laziness seem very trendy, and I’m scared about these things because that’s the opposite of what I want someone to do who has depression,” Dr. Gasgupta says. “I want them to get help, I want them to go out and get sunlight, I want them to go out and eat well — not just in the bed.”
Why Bed Rotting Isn't Great for Self Care
Bed rotting creates an unhealthy association between you and your bed
According to Dr. Dasgupta, lying in bed without sleeping is a recipe for disaster. Your bed and sleeping arrangements should be reserved for just that — sleep. Associating your mattress, pillow and bed sheets with the passive activities of bed rotting can trick your brain into staying awake once you begin to get comfortable, making it harder to fall asleep when you’re not practicing the trendy discipline.
“We call that stimulus control,” Dr. Dasgupta says. “You don’t want to start going to bed [while] your mind and body are thinking, ‘Oh, this is time for some social media, this is time to watch some TV, this is time to eat.’ The bed should only be associated with sleeping.”
This isn’t to say that you cannot lie prone in bed for a little while or take in a movie every now and again in the comforts of your comforter. The important thing to remember, according to Dr. Dasgupta, is moderation.
“There’s definitely people that just want to watch something in bed for a little bit or have a little bit of 'you time,’” he says. “That’s not the target audience that we’re thinking about over there. We’re thinking about individuals who feel they need to be alone, and all of a sudden, this could be a first sign of depression that you’re not addressing.”
Bed rotting can jeopardize your sleep quality
In relation to the disassociation with your bed and sleep, bed rotting can also rob you of quality time spent in slumberland. Having a balance of qualitative and quantitative sleep is vital to your overall health, and the risks outweigh the rewards in trying to adopt a practice that potentially throws off that relationship.
“Having less quantity and quality of sleep will just make every underlying health condition, both mental and physical, even worse,” Dasgupta says. “The hard part is, you never know who’s going to be predisposed to developing a very chronic case of insomnia because everyone is different and that’s why you don’t want to put yourself at risk. Sleep and a lot of these mental health conditions are so highly associated.”
Bed rotting can mask more serious issues
Seeing influencers praise this lethargic cure for mental burnout may make it seem like a simple solution to stress, but like all self-care disciplines, you need to understand that individual problems require a personalized approach. Bed rotting can be a quick fix for recovery if done in spurts, but if you’re harboring more serious issues like depression and anxiety, it could become a crutch that only ramps up your problems over time.
Dr. Dasgupta recommends speaking with your healthcare provider before trying bed rotting for yourself. This can help identify underlying issues with the support of a professional, as well as give you a more concrete understanding of what you’re truly trying to accomplish with the discipline.
“It’s very important to always think about the underlying cause and how is this a solution toward what you need to do, and what are the alternatives,” he says.
What to Do Instead of Bed Rotting
Rather than use your bed and sleeping arrangements for unproductive activities, Dr. Dasgupta says investing in your sleep hygiene can be an excellent way to promote better self care. These factors aren’t typically present within bed rotting, so by making these switches to your routine rather than relying on the ‘Trending’ page, you could be setting yourself up for future success and better wellness.
“When we talk about sleep hygiene in general, we’re talking about some general tips that we all could benefit from,” he says. “Sleep is individualized, but the room should be on the quieter side, the cooler side, the darker side. I think we could all benefit from putting some technology away. If you drink caffeine, maybe think about cutting back and not drinking it later in the day.”
Looking to elevate your sleep hygiene with a more comfortable, cozy, Zzz-inducing vibe? Below are a few items we recommend for creating a proper setup:
Gravity Weighted Blanket
Soft and plush, this impressive blanket can create that soothing aesthetic of your dreams (pun intended). Weight options range from 15 to 35 pounds, so there’s plenty of consuming coziness to be had as well. Just be sure to follow the proper care instructions — the interior is hand wash only.
Casper Foam Pillow with Snow Technology
Creating a cool environment around your noggin can be excellent for capturing Zzzs, and this soft, comfortable profile from Casper does just that. HeatDelete Bands help pull heat away from your body, so that premium comfort level extends throughout the night, too.
Umizato Blue Blocker Glasses
If you must scroll social media before bed, be sure to take care of your eyes in the process (and set a time limit for yourself). These blue light blockers from Umizato can filter up to 90% of blue light, and varying magnifications also lend themselves to better, easier reading conditions.
