Bed rotting: Have you heard of this viral TikTok trend and is it good for your health?

A section of the younger generation is spending time lying in bed as part of a viral TikTok trend called bed rotting. The practice has been claimed to be a form of self-care that helps recharge the body. However, experts have warned that going overboard with the trend can result in mental health issues and disturb sleep patterns.

According to Forbes, bed rotting refers to the practice of willingly spending too much time or sometimes even your whole day lying in your bed. It does not come into play when you can't leave your bed because of your doctor's advice or when you are asleep. It usually involves staying awake in the bed during daytime and doing anything from munching snacks and bingeing shows online to using social media and talking on the phone.

Many on TikTok have been posting their photos and videos using the hashtag “#bedrot” as they lay in bed under the sheets — at times holding a snack.

The good and the bad

According to Dr Ryan Sultan, a certified psychiatrist and research professor at Columbia University in New York, many individuals are feeling burned out these days due to high expectations and productivity. Calling the bed rotting trend “fascinating”, he told Fox News Digital that the practice is beneficial “in many ways”.

“It’s a chance to clear your mind, recharge and regroup before returning to life in a better frame of mind,” Dr Sultan said.

However, the doctor underlined that a long-term need to "bed rot" can be a sign of depression. “People should be mindful if bed rotting becomes a pattern of behaviour,” he added.

Dr. Sultan said that spending excessive time in the bed during daytime can also disturb sleep schedules and individuals may find it difficult to fix it.

For Simon A. Rego, professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, bed rotting can have positive effects when one needs to reset the body and recharge the mind, reported CNN.

“Be mindful and avoid overdoing it, no matter how good it may feel in the moment,” Dr Rego added.

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