"Bed Rotting": Latest Gen Z Self-Care Trend Explained
Photo by Rehina Sultanova on Unsplash
Everyone loves to sleep. I'm sure you look forward to resting your head on your plush pillow and laying your body down on a comfortable bed at the end of a long and tiring day!
Taking it one step further, you might have been one of the few people who have joked and volunteered “sleep” as your hobby when asked at a party or an event. The truth is, who doesn’t like a good lie-in on a day off or a public holiday?
Fast-forward to 2024 where Gen Z has repackaged this activity as “Bed Rotting”, the latest buzz word related to ‘self-care’ on social media. As of 2 May 2024, searching up “Bed Rotting” on TikTok brings up a total of 74.8 million posts.
But what is it, really? Is it any different from having a lie-in after an exhausting day or week?
What is Bed-Rotting?
Health has defined it as ‘staying in bed for extended periods—not to sleep, but to do passive activities like eating snacks, watching TV, and scrolling through devices.’ This extended period could mean ‘the entire day or even the weekend’, according to Today. This activity is meant to help people recuperate from tiredness or burnout.
So it’s essentially resting, right? Isn’t that good, and even necessary for everyone to indulge in? Why does the word ‘Bed-Rotting’ sound negative or even harmful, then?
Is Bed-Rotting Good For Me?
According to psychologists, Bed-Rotting can help individuals ‘recharge their batteries’, calm and destress after a physically or mentally exhausting day or week. The latest trend making its waves on social media has also destigmatised ‘resting’ as a way of self-care, in a world that demands round-the-clock productivity and glorifies busyness.
However, moderation is key. Experts have warned that Bed-Rotting should only be taken in small doses and not designed as habitual behaviour. Constant indulgence in this could lead to social isolation, fuelling less engagement in productive and enjoyable activities. Warning lights should also flash when you are struggling to function in your daily life and turn to your bed to avoid situations or feelings, instead of coping with them in more healthy ways.
What we do while we’re Bed-Rotting is also important in determining whether it is beneficial for us. Using social media and our phones over prolonged periods of time has been shown to affect the mental health of individuals detrimentally, especially for young people. Also, doing so too close to bedtime could also cause individuals to have trouble sleeping at the appropriate time, resulting in other negative consequences as well.
All that said and done, Bed-Rotting has been around and might be a trend that is here to stay. With the knowledge that there are benefits in doing so, while being cautious to not overindulge, how can we do so in a healthy way?
So How Do We Bed-Rot Healthily?
Firstly, setting a time limit on how long you want to Bed-Rot might prevent you from overdoing it. You can also schedule other activities during your downtime that help you to destress or wind down, such as journaling, reading, meditating, light exercise, or even a casual catch-up with a friend over coffee, in addition to Bed-Rotting.
Do note that Bed-Rotting might provide temporary relief from a tired day or week, but should you experience prolonged exhaustion or burnout or low moods with a loss of interest in activities that would have excited you before, you might be experiencing something more serious. In such cases, do speak to your trusted ones and seek out professional help if necessary.
That said, see you after I do a bit of Bed-Rotting myself!
Resources
Google search results for “Bed Rotting” on Tiktok. https://www.google.com/search?q=bed+rotting+tik+tok&oq=bed+rotting+tik+tok&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIJCAEQABgKGIAEMgkIAhAAGAoYgAQyDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgEEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyCggFEAAYgAQYogTSAQgzNDY5ajBqNKgCALACAQ&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Today. What is bed rotting and is it good for you? What to know about the Gen Z trend. https://www.today.com/health/news/bed-rotting-rcna108074
Health. What is ‘Bed Rotting’? GenZ’s Newest Self Care Tend, Explained. https://www.health.com/what-is-bed-rotting-trend-7561395
Self. Actually, ‘Bed Rotting’ Can Be a Very Legit Form of Self-Care. https://www.self.com/story/bed-rotting-self-care