Bed rotting

Bed rotting is the practice of voluntarily spending many hours a day in bed whilst awake.^[1] It has been linked to self-care practices, ^[2] but also to depression and anxiety.^[3][4]

Many people who partake in bed rotting often spend their time on their devices or reading a book.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} 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.^[10] Bed rotting has, in some cases, been linked to poor hygiene, depression and anxiety. ^[11]

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.^[12] The term was added to Dictionary.com in 2024, along with more than 1,700 new or updated definition) following growing visibility of the practice on social media. 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".^[13]

Some observers have interpreted this as a reaction to stress and or anxiety.^[14][15][16] Lifehacker has described bed rotting as "an aspect of JOMO".^[17] 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".^[18]

It has been linked to similar trends such as doomscrolling, ^[19] a practice in which a user may spend extended periods of time-consuming short form content or news.

• 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
• Tang ping
• Hikikomori