Sometimes, all you want to do is sink in bed and sleep all day. The stresses of this world incentivizes us to engage in 'bed rotting.' This involves heavily sleeping in, snuggling up in bed, and devouring TV and movies or mindlessly scrolling on TikTok, Twitter, or Instagram. In theory, this sounds like a great way to decompress. After working so hard during the week, you can disengage from the woes of the world and
Samantha Boardman works as a psychiatrist at Weill-Cornell Medical College. Additionally, she authors a book detailing how to convert daily stress into something productive. Recently, CNBC interviews her about the dangers of bed rotting. "It's very tempting," Boardman admits. "But the reality is, many people after they engage in some extended period of bed rotting, they don't feel that much better. If anything, they feel a little bit more drained."
Additionally, Samantha argues that sleeping in disrupts the body's daily rhythm and causes more grogginess than ever. As much as sleep is important to your health, research dictates that indulging too much in it risks heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Moreover, the mental side of bed rotting only brings about distraction from the problems we face.
Here's How to Properly Recharge Instead of Bed Rotting to Solely Fix Your Problems
Samantha goes on to offer a few alternatives from the comforts of bed rotting. As much as you want to keep brain engagement to a minimal, she argues that mild activities can make for a more satisfying rest later on. "When you go for a walk outside, you meet up with a friend, you do something that even though you might dread it, you're probably going to feel a whole lot better," Boardman explains.
However, there are other options if you insist on not leaving the house. Simply get up from the bed. If you insist on rotting, take that session from the bedroom to the couch. Put the phone down every once in a while and scrap some of the screen time. Opt for a book or meditation instead. Then, when it's time for bed, the body can actually feel refreshed again.
