Let’s set a fine line between a comfortable bed and deteriorating mental health.
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Trigger Warning: This story includes mentions of depression.
On the long list of weekend plans curated by a typical Gen Z, you might come across the phrase “bed-rotting.” This is a new buzzword that has been making rounds on the internet, probably on every social media platform available. What seems to be a “new trend” has garnered divided opinions from the online community, getting into heated debates on what it really is and what it isn’t.
Bed-Rotting: According To The Internet
One Google search and the top result gives you a straightforward definition of bed-rotting. Health.com defines bed-rotting as “staying in bed for extended periods of time—not to sleep, but to do passive activities.” Simply put, it’s “rotting” in bed while indulging in activities that do not require physical exertion, like: doom-scrolling on your FYP for hours or just contemplating the point of it all.
This temporary withdrawal from social responsibilities has sparked a new way to get in touch with the sedentary lifestyle. However, bed-rotting can mean different things to different people, depending on what their intentions are while doing it.
Resting, Redesigned
According to certain discourses, bed-rotting is seen as a form of self-care. After long, excruciating weekdays of work and school, to rot in bed during the weekend is a free treat for the soul—a well-needed recharge under the sheets. This temporary detachment from the real world and into the cyber zones is fathomed to ease the accumulated exhaustion from the bustle.
Some experts say that bed-rotting to recharge can actually be a healthy self-care method as long as it is done in small doses with proper precautions and self-awareness.
Family medicine physician Dr. Jen Caudle said it’s actually okay to have a day or so where people can take a break and stay in bed, but they have to know that there is an limit to this action. Bed-rotting could become a problem if this so-called resting turns into a form of avoiding actual real-life responsibilities, or as a form of not showing up for yourself.
Lost Under The Covers
On the other side of the internet, some people have expressed their discomfort towards people reclaiming and watering down the term “bed-rotting.” According to them, minimizing the said activity into a trend, let alone a self-care method, is insensitive to people who are suffering from depression.
For people who are experiencing depression, bed-rotting is a form of personal neglect. It is the excessive urge to stay in bed for too long, sometimes even months. The tendency to not get up escalates to a point where a person cannot accomplish the everyday tasks, such as: brushing their teeth, washing their hair, or even going to the bathroom.
Seeing how a part of the internet treats this phenomenon as a little treat to ease the stress might come off as outrageous to those who are negatively affected by the said activity.
My experience with bed rotting, a 🧵 about how I feel and why it's NOT a trend but a mental problem
— Rin ﾉ. Nari ? ! 🍃 (@yourstrulyrin_) March 19, 2024
The Sun is Waiting for You
In this day and age, normal occurrences tend to be tagged as “trendy” so people can feel that they are “in” and seen. But the thing is, it’s not always necessary.
Resting should not be considered a trend – it’s a human necessity to give up some days to relaxation. On the other hand, it’s also insensitive to minimize extreme behaviors as mere trends. It’s harmful to those who are struggling to manage such behavior.
Is the internet normalizing “rotting” by carelessly throwing the term around? Maybe. Spending all that extra time in bed might not be the mood booster that we think. Studies suggest that catching too many Zzz’s can be linked to feeling a bit down.
Resting can come in many forms, and staying in bed for a while longer than average is one of them. But bed-rotting might not be the best way to maximize the joys of a day-off. After all, humans were also made to see the world and feel the sunshine. Your bed’s great, but the world’s got comfy corners, too!
The allure of the sheets may be strong, but there’s a whole world waiting to be explored beyond the duvet.
Continue reading: It’s Not About Rejecting, But Here Are All The Reasons Why You Should Say ‘No’
