Bed Rotting Can Be Good and Bad

Bed rotting is a term gaining attention on the social network TikTok and becoming a popular trend. Bed rotting is lying in bed for a long time and doing mindless things. Instead of going to bed to sleep, a person chooses to do passive consumption and enjoyment activities.

Bed rotting was first introduced by a TikToker @g0bra77y with the content “Who tf actually enjoys “rotting away” in their bed?” which had been viewed 1.4 million times. After that, the term continued to be mentioned in TikTok videos. The keyword “bed rotting” had reached over 305 million views on TikTok.

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Like many mental health advice on TikTok, bed rotting may not be the most responsible guide or the best way to rejuvenate yourself. In fact, lying in bed all day can exacerbate existing mental health problems and potentially introduce new ones.

This trend is popular among Gen Z as they call bed rotting a “new style” of self-care. They often feel exhausted at work, study, and family demands, so when they do nothing, Gen Z thinks this is an opportunity to rest and restore energy and spirit.

With the development of modern life, when faced with too many new problems in a day, young people often feel emotionally overloaded, leading to anxiety disorders or stress about a problem. At these times, lying in bed can help them temporarily "ignore" the outside world, giving them time to calm down and regain energy.

Between races without a destination, bed rotting is seen as an opportunity to rest without fear of being labeled lazy. However, "rooting" in bed for a long time leads to many side effects, such as arousing a feeling of stagnation or avoiding problems that need to be solved. Each stage of life brings different pressures, crises, and stresses.

When exhausted, giving yourself a break to recover is essential. But conversely, the excuse of staying in bed for a long time to recover does not resolve the conflict and can worsen the situation.

Besides, health experts believe that prolonged bed rotting can cause a sedentary lifestyle, which affects healthy sleep habits and cardiovascular.

Looking at your phone for a long time or watching a movie in bed can change this mechanism, causing sleep to be reversed. At that time, getting back to normal sleep was a new challenge to solve, affecting our daily activities.

When lying down and resting, set a limit for yourself. After that time, you are recharged to return to the previous job. If bed rotting persists and makes you worse, proactively consult and seek professional help.

- Staying in bed while you are awake can interfere with sleep. Lying in bed while you are awake can cause insomnia. It's important to associate your bed with sleeping, rather than a place where you work, eat, watch TV, or stay awake. Otherwise, you'll train your brain to stay awake while you're in bed.

- Inactivity can contribute to depression and anxiety. Inactivity can be a major contributing factor to anxiety and depression. The longer you stay inactive, or the more often you do it, the greater your risk of developing or worsening anxiety and depression, which can decrease motivation and promote fatigue. So, while it may be tempting to lie in bed, effective treatments for depression often include physical activity, social interaction, and problem-solving.

- Thinking increases mental health problems. Without any stimulation, you may be more likely to repeat conversations that have already happened, focus on your problems, or think about the same things over and over again—reflecting on stressors or negative events that increase or perpetuate mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, somatic symptom disorder and substance use disorder.

- Avoid problems that add to stress. Returning to bed can provide temporary relief if you’re stressed out because you’re struggling to pay the bills or you feel overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list. But escapism won't solve the problems that cause your suffering; it can only prolong dealing with them and add to your long-term suffering.

- Idle time can lead to more screen time. Without any stimulation, many people automatically reach for their phones or laptops. But extra screen time is unlikely to lead to rejuvenation; it can cause more stress.