WELLBEING

Is bed rotting the new self-care or self-sabotage?

17 August, 2024 . 0

While a bed rotting can feel like the ultimate relaxation, experts warn it can quickly turn from self-care to self-sabotage if not managed properly.

In our time-poor society, a trend endorsing rest sounds welcome in theory.

But beyond the surface, spending all day in bed — known as “bed rotting” — could be symptomatic of a more troubling underlying issue.

For the TikTok literate, bed rotting has become a buzzword, but the phenomenon itself isn’t that new.

The rise of bed rotting

Sleep for Health managing director Dr Carmel Harrington says the desire to stay in bed all day is long documented, and is often considered a classic symptom of depression.

“Staying in bed all day isn’t a new phenomenon, but the way social media is now framing it as a positive, buzzy, Gen Z-approved hobby does concern me,” she says.

While a rainy day spent bingeing television in bed is OK every now and then, it’s when it becomes a regular occurrence that people should monitor their habits.

“Gen Z are major advocates for self-care, which is great to see, but the problem with not leaving your bed all day is that it can verge from self-care to self-sabotage pretty quickly,” Dr Harrington says.

According to the Sydney-based sleep expert, even if you aren’t depressed when you first get into the pattern of bed rotting, the poor lifestyle habits it endorses can contribute to a depressive state.

“The issue with bed rotting is when it becomes a habit,” she says.

Once you’re in this toxic cycle of irregular sleep, not associating your bed with rest, paired with a lack of exercise and time outdoors, it’s really difficult to pull yourself out of it.”

A slippery slope

Amy*, 26, became an accidental bed rotting aficionado at the height of lockdowns in 2021.

“I was living with my parents at the time, and suddenly my bedroom wasn’t just where I slept, but also where I worked, socialised and had any semblance of personal space,” she says.

“Once winter hit, I ditched working from my desk altogether in favour of the cosiness of my bed.

“My parents joked that I was like the bed-bound grandparents in Willy Wonka, which struck a nerve because what 20-something wants that comparison?”

When her lifestyle started impacting her sleeping habits, Amy decided to make a change, committing to a daily walk for some fresh air, as well as forcing herself to make her bedroom a place for rest only.

“It was like I had to rewire my brain, and although ditching the bed rotting life came at the cost of comfort — who doesn’t want to do everything from their bed? — my sleeping habits and general mood improved and I started feeling like myself again,” Amy says.

The darker side of bed rotting

According to sleep expert Dr Catherine Darley, Amy’s experiences with bed rotting are in line with her clinical observations.

“Bed rotting psychologically associates the bed with a place to be awake, which can make it more difficult to sleep, and is often a problem for people with chronic insomnia,” Dr Darley says.

Because bed rotting is a sedentary habit, people don’t get enough movement or exercise to help encourage sleep.

“Another issue with bed rotting is that people don’t go outside, which means they aren’t receiving sunlight signals that are needed to strengthen our circadian system and promote sleep at night,” Dr Darley says.

Understanding the appeal

With tens of millions of posts, bed rotting is unlikely to lose relevance on TikTok anytime soon.

But why is Gen Z, in particular, so fond of the practice?

Dr Harrington suspects much of it comes down to technology.

“Young adults and teens have access to the world at a touch of their smartphone, so even if they’ve embraced a sedentary, depressive lifestyle, they can still check in and socialise with their friends and stay in the loop if they want to,” she says.

The problem with this, however, is that while their social battery might be recharged, they’re still being physically inactive, which is how the toxic cycle of bed rotting evolves into a health issue.

“My advice to parents concerned about their children’s habits is to be observant of their lifestyle and how they occupy their time,” Dr Harrington says.

“You want to kick bed rotting before it becomes a habit, because it’s a lot harder to break once it’s a routine.

“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the comfort of your bed. It’s when it is coming at the expense of exercise, sufficient sleep, social commitments and so on that you’re dealing with a problem bigger than a TikTok trend.”

* Not her real name

More on sleep health and self care:

Written by beauty editor Charlotte Brundrett.