Bed rotting

Two people reading in a daybed

Bed rotting is a recurring behavioural pattern, where someone stays in bed during waking hours for large periods of time. This can range from most of the day to an entire week without engaging in daily activities and chores. Bed rotting is not to be synonymous with self-neglect or a current symptom of depression as the hallmark behaviour's as well as the specifically chosen term of bed rotting itself is implicated and/or contextualised—with insensitivity—to be an atypical lifestyle choice rather than being contextualised or addressed as a probable situational-dependent autonomous decision or an indication of underlying symptoms or a prognosis of any underlying health conditions with sensibility, given that self-neglect is a behavioural condition which already encompasses below-mentioned hallmark behaviours of "bed rotting" and as a result may erroneously conflate a clear-cut lifestyle choice that is not conclusively related to any underlying mental health condition with a symptom or factor to any sort of underlying health condition.

In February 2024, Dictionary.com announced that it added "bed rotting" along with more than 1,700 new or updated definitions to reflect new words or definitions in society. It was defined as "the practice of spending many hours in bed during the day, often with snacks or an electronic device, as a voluntary retreat from activity or stress". ^[1]

Bed rotting manifests as a routine in which the person is observed not cleaning their rooms, not going to bathrooms for defecation or urination, and not getting up or leaving a room to get food for themself. When the bed rotting last for weeks or months, it can develop into a situational-dependent habitual behaviour and additionally can potentially result in derelict and hazardous habitability.^{[ citation needed ]}

Background

A person using their laptop in bed

Many people who partake in bed rotting commonly spend their time on their smartphone or reading a book. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]} While some people use it as a way to recover mental health and combat burnout, bed rotting can intensify from a way to rest to a serious issue, which can lead to avoidance of going outside, socializing, or responsibilities. ^[7]

The trend has gained traction on social media, where users share their "bed rotting" experiences. Platforms like TikTok have popularized this behavior with a 2024 survey showing that nearly a quarter of Generation Z surveyed reported staying in bed for a day or more to relax or use devices. ^[8]

Response

Some observers have interpreted this as a reaction to stress and or anxiety. ^{[9] [10] [11]} Lifehacker has described bed rotting as "an aspect of JOMO". ^[12] They also say that "while bed rotting can benefit some people in the short-term, it can become concerning if it lasts for more than one or two days". ^[13]

See also

• Bed rest  – Medical treatment involving resting in bed
• Clinophilia  – Sleep disorder
• Couch potato  – Person who spends most of their free time sitting or lying on a couch
• Doomscrolling  – Compulsive consumption of negative online news

References

1. "Barbiecore? Bed rotting? Greedflation? Dictionary.com adds new 2024 words". Spokesman. 2024-02-13.
2. Marples, Megan (2023-07-08). "Bed rotting: TikTok's latest trend reveals the toxic side of self-care". CNN. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
3. "Experts warn about 'bed rotting' trend". Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. 2023-08-08. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
4. "Actually, 'Bed Rotting' Can Be a Very Legit Form of Self-Care". SELF. 2023-08-01. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
5. "What is 'bed rotting' and is it actually self-care?". The Independent. 2023-07-11. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
6. Cheong, Charissa. "Step aside, hustle culture. Gen Z college students are 'bed-rotting' instead". Insider. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
7. "Hurkle-durkling and bed-rotting: The pros and cons of lounging in bed". health.osu.edu. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
8. Celmer, Lynn (2024-08-21). "'Bed rotting' tops TikTok trends". American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and Researchers. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
9. "Good News – We Should Be Rotting In Bed". HuffPost UK. June 9, 2023.
10. Bregel, Sarah (2023-05-31). "'Bed rotting' doesn't mean Gen Z is lazy, but is it really self-care?". Fast Company.
11. Lee, Bruce Y. "'Bed Rotting': What Is This New TikTok Generation Z Self-Care Trend". Forbes.
12. "The Out-of-Touch Adults' Guide to Kid Culture: What is 'Bed Rotting'?". Lifehacker. June 2, 2023.
13. "What Is 'Bed Rotting'? Gen Z's Newest Self-Care Trend, Explained". Health. Retrieved 2025-04-16.