Have you heard of bed rotting? It’s a new self-care trend that involves staying in bed all day by choice.
Bed rotting involves staying all day in bed to do things like scroll through social media or binge-watching a show. People are embracing bed rotting as a form of self-care. Experts warn that if it becomes a habit, it can be a sign of something more serious.
“I would say bed rotting can become a problem if you are doing it in the context to avoid something. So, maybe you’re anxious about something and that’s why you’re staying in the bed, or you’re avoiding social interactions and you prefer to be socially isolated,” Cleveland Clinic child psychologist Dr. Emily Mudd said.
Mudd said constant pressure to be productive can be overwhelming, especially for kids. So taking a day off to rest in bed isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Mudd said time to relax is important to destress, but she urges against using something like bed rotting as a primary coping skill.
Social isolation can increase the risk of mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.
“If you are a parent and your child has been spending significant periods of time in bed, that is cause for concern, you know, children have social and emotional needs. They have activity needs to be out playing with peers, learning. And so those are really important for social-emotional development,” Mudd said.
Bed rotting can also disrupt your sleep patterns. It’s fine to give bed rotting a try, but it should not be your go-to strategy when it comes to dealing with stress or anxiety.
Experts recommend people try exercise, meditation, talking with a friend, writing in a journal, reading a book, or doing a hobby they enjoy instead of rotting in bed.
The state of Michigan offers a list of mental health resources online.