There’s nothing quite comparable to having access to a nice and cozy bed after a long stressful day of work.
Likewise, spending some time relaxing on a day off in this piece of furniture which brings safety and warmth to so many can often feel like just the right thing to do for our tired bodies.
However, a new phenomenon emerging from the internet has worried some experts, as people have been sharing their experience of “bed rotting”.
One expert in particular informed Bored Panda that the trend might in fact mess with our sleep altogether.
An expert reacted to a new trend emerging from TikTok called "bed rotting" which saw young people spending hours and sometimes days in bed
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Bed rotting is a practice that has taken TikTok by storm, where users often come out with their positive experiences tucking themselves under layers of blankets for entire days, calling it self-care.
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Health expert known as Sleep Doctor explained why this trend is not advisable
The circumstances around the TikTok trend have been unclear; however, the “bed rotting” hashtag on the social media platform has amassed 58 million videos as of November 9, and doesn’t appear to be losing any interest.
The practice has been defined by multiple creators as spending entire days or weekends in bed, doing everything from napping and doom-scrolling to watching TV and snacking.
An influencer going by Life Of Raven dedicated her entire TikTok page to helping people stop “rotting”
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She recommended a routine to help those stuck in the "bed rotting" trend
As per Today, the idea is that to help cope with tiredness or burnout, spending a day or two under the covers will offset some of the exhaustion.
Nevertheless, the trend hasn’t grown without sparking some backlash.
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An influencer going by Life Of Raven has dedicated her entire TikTok page to spreading a message of getting people to stop “rotting”.
The Tiktoker, who has uploaded a couple of videos that have gone viral, has consistently shared tips to remain productive throughout the day in order to bypass succumbing to the warmth of comfortable sheets.
The “bed rotting” hashtag has amassed 58 million videos on TikTok
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In one of the influencer’s most viewed videos, she instructed her viewers on what steps to take if they had already “rotted half of their day” away.
One of her tips consisted of a timed schedule where she told people to get up and stretch for one minute before changing from pajamas to loungewear, followed by listening to a podcast.
Besides a lack of productivity, bed rotting can also become a concern for other aspects of our health.
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“My view is that, from a sleep perspective, bed rotting is likely to be very bad for our sleep based on the scientific evidence,” Dr. Greg Elder, an assistant professor in psychology and associate director at the the Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research, told Bored Panda.
He continued: “This is because we know that spending lots of time in bed can negatively affect different aspects of sleep, and this is particularly the case when people are working, eating, or doing other activities in bed (such as checking social media).
“Normally, our bed should only be used for sleeping and for sex.
“Spending lots of time in bed can also mean that we don’t get our usual levels of light, which can in itself be very good for keeping our sleep patterns regular, and it also means that we miss out on exercise and social interaction, which can also help our sleep quality.
“Good sleep is vital for good mental and physical health, so although the occasional lie-in won’t be harmful, regular bed rotting is unlikely to be good for our health.”
"Bed rotting is likely to be very bad for our sleep," an expert told Bored Panda
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Family Doctor Jen Caudle explained that bed rotting is not a solution to depression or anxiety and should be "used in moderation"
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, adults are recommended to sleep between seven and nine hours a night.
The institute states that adults who sleep less than seven hours a night may have more health issues than those who sleep seven or more hours a night.
Sleeping more than nine hours a night is not necessarily harmful and may be helpful for young adults, people who are recovering from sleep deprivation, and people who are sick.
Nonetheless, if you regularly need more than eight or nine hours of sleep per night to feel rested, it might be a sign of a sleep or medical problem, Johns Hopkins Medicine reports.
Some internet users were surprised to learn about the trend
