As burnout rates steadily increase worldwide, many have turned to different activities as forms of self care. A new self care trend, referred to as “bed rotting,” has become increasingly popular among teenagers. The act involves lying in bed for hours on end “rotting away.”
People who partake in bed rotting spend their time lounging in bed, not to sleep, but rather to engage in activities like watching TV or doom scrolling on Social media in hopes to improve their emotional well-being. The trend is particularly popular among members of Generation Z.
Senior Sophia Lewis embraces the trend on a daily basis. “I usually rot in my bed for at least an hour or two a day scrolling through Instagram reels before my dad comes in to yell at me for having a phone addiction,” admitted Lewis.
Adolescents in America are reporting higher stress levels than ever before. With 18-34 year-olds claiming to have a stress level rating of 6.4 out of 10. Countless factors have contributed to this increased anxiety and stress including cost of living, social media and the aftermath of COVID-19. Younger generations have turned to bed rotting as a coping mechanism to combat immense stress and pressure.
Senior Priya Suresh engages in bed rotting to decompress. “I honestly enjoy bed rotting when I am exhausted as it relieves a lot of stress, however whenever I catch myself laying in bed for too long I feel my stress build up. I find myself getting ‘addicted’ to laying in bed and spend hours doing so. Ultimately, [bed rotting] makes my anxiety and stress much worse,” expressed Suresh.
While “bed rotting” can provide a temporary escape from stressors, the practice comes with many underlying negative effects.
The trend is particularly appealing to those suffering from clinical depression or anxiety. People suffering from these conditions report low energy, lack of interest in activities and a down mood. “Bed rotting” further glamorizes these symptoms of mental health conditions and deems these acts to be self care, when in reality engaging in fewer activities fuels cycles of depression and anxiety.
Not only does “bed rotting” directly contribute to worsening mental health symptoms, but it also interferes with natural sleep cycles. Staying in bed for a long period of time while awake interferes with sleep and may lead to the development of insomnia. Associating beds as a place for a pastime other than rest makes it hard for the brain to wind down in that specific location.
School counselor Ellie Thomas understands that students cope in different ways and may benefit from such isolation. “As with most things, moderation is key. Spending personal time bed rotting on occasion may be a way for a person to disconnect and recharge. However, there is a line where it can move away from self care if occurring too often, for too long, and is used as an unhealthy coping skill to avoid potentially stressful situations in life,” expressed Thomas.
It’s important to understand the fine line between rest and rot. Overdoing certain acts of self care has been known to cause more damage than good and the recent glamorization of “bed rotting” is no exception.
