If you’ve been just about everywhere for the holidays—in the mall buying gifts, at relatives’ homes attending family reunions, in the kitchen preparing Noche Buena, and in church for Simbang Gabi—then no one can fault you for wanting to spend any free time you have left bed rotting.
Bed what? It’s Generation Z’s self-care term for lying in bed all day to sleep, eat, scroll mindlessly through social media, binge-watch your favorite K-drama—whatever you want, you call the shots.
“At a time when we try to squeeze in as many activities as we can in a day, it’s only natural to step away from all the busyness to decompress, breathe, and simply do nothing,” acknowledges Anna Marie Lantano, MD, Psychiatrist from top hospital in the Philippines Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed). Other countries and cultures, in fact, have their own version of bed rotting. In The Netherlands, “niksen” means embracing idleness and relaxation; in Italy, “dolce far niente” translates to “the sweetness of doing nothing.”
“Bed rotting, which first trended on TikTok, isn’t about being lazy if done sparingly and for a specific purpose,” Dr. Lantano continues. “It’s all about giving yourself permission to take a break from the world.”
Here’s a tip though: Be aware about how you stay in bed, as if there’s a fine line between self-care and self-sabotage. “Give yourself enough time to rest without compromising your responsibilities,” the MakatiMed doctor recommends. “Schedule it on a day or weekend when you can take off. Anything longer can make it difficult to get back into the real world. Make sure you’re not using bed rotting as a way to avoid certain people, feelings, or responsibilities.”
While there are no rules about what you can or can’t do when you bed-rot, taking your work to bed with you defeats the purpose of this mental health break. “Resist the urge to answer emails from your boss, catch up on a backlog of reports, or make a PowerPoint presentation,” says Dr. Lantano. “Allow yourself to indulge in watching shows or movies online. Another way is to just rest without any gadgets.”
Want to shake things up? Read an actual book instead of Facebook. Phone a friend instead of texting them. “Bed rotting doesn’t necessarily mean cutting yourself off from the world Dr. Lantano clarifies. “Use the time to reconnect with loved ones through a voice or video call.”
Sleep is definitely part of bed rotting; it’s relaxing and recharging all at once. Experts, however, fear that having some shut-eye during the day might disrupt your sleep at night. “Try napping for a few minutes after lunch,” suggests Dr. Lantano.
Although it is called bed rotting, the expert encourages you to get up from bed every 2-3 hours to walk and stretch. “This promotes circulation and reduces the risk of blood clots.”
Finally, if you’re going to bed-rot, commit to it! “Feeling guilty for ‘doing nothing’ has no place in a mental health day,” says Dr. Lantano. “Think of bed rotting as a reward for all that you do for others, and how much better you’ll be once you get back in the swing of things.”
For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph. Follow @IamMakatiMed on Facebook and Twitter.
