Featured Image Credit: Galina Zhigalova/Olga Rolenko/Getty Images
Topics: Advice, Health, Life, Mental Health, Sleep, TikTok, Social Media
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Advice, Health, Life, Mental Health, Sleep, TikTok, Social Media
It seems like there's an ever-growing list of new buzz words to add to our dictionaries just to keep up these days.
From the 'Ben stage' and 'Coffee Badging' all the way to the 'raw dogging' travel trend and the 'office siren' aesthetic - it's clear Gen Z love a good buzzword phrase or two.
And one I'm sure we've heard more than any other is, of course, 'bed rotting'.
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While it may sound pretty grim, 'bed rotting' it's simply a turn of phrase used to describe a the new self-care trend young people are obsessed with all over TikTok and social media.
In short, it means staying in bed all day in your own little cocoon.
Now, while some reckon doing so can actually harm both your physical health and mental wellbeing, other experts are now revealing the surprising benefits of vegging out in your sheets.
So, without further ado, let's get into it.
Well, it seems there may be some benefits to rotting in bed after all as one psychologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Courtney DeAngelis, PsyD, explained doing so could be a great chance to 'recharge'.
She told Health: "These individuals might use this practice to give themselves an opportunity to 'recharge their batteries', so to speak."
Nicole Hollingshead, PhD, a psychologist and clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, added: "Our society tends to put too much emphasis [on] and, in some ways, [glorifies] being busy or productive all the time.
"This can lead to feeling burnt out and not allow us time to rest or recharge without labelling this as 'being lazy'."
With all that said, however, it's important to bed rot safely if you're gonna do it at all.
DeAngelis suggests: "Put a timer on your phone to help signal and cue you that it's time to transition to another activity.
"Some people might not even be mindful of just how many hours they are losing in the day to bed rotting when they get lost in their screens."
Ryan Sultan, MD, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute, also pointed out to the outlet: "While bed rotting can provide respite from the pressures of modern life, it’s important to approach it with mindfulness and intention.
"If it becomes a habitual behaviour or if you notice signs of depression, it’s crucial to seek professional help."