What is bed rotting? Plus, how to try it mindfully

Mental Health

Nov 20

Written By Calm Editorial Team

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Bed rotting can feel comforting — or leave you drained. Discover why people are embracing the trend and 7 mindful ways to practice it without harming your sleep.

You know those days when all you can do is lie in bed and watch a movie? Or scroll on your phone with the curtains drawn? Maybe you even drift off for a cat nap… This is a form of rest that has been dubbed by social media as “bed rotting.”

It might sound silly, but the desire to stop moving and exist in stillness often means you need to slow down. Your body is telling you it’s time for rest and recovery, both mentally and physically.

While bed rotting can be an effective way to reset, too much of it can be a sign of a deeper issue. So how do you know if you’re practicing self-care or avoiding real life?

Here’s everything you need to know about bed rotting, and how to do it mindfully so that it’ll leave you feeling restored and refreshed, not drained.

What is “bed rotting”?

At its simplest, bed rotting means spending extended periods of time in bed to rest, scroll, watch shows, or just chill. The term started on TikTok and has since seeped into everyday vocabulary, especially among younger generations.

The word “rotting” may sound dramatic, but the impulse behind it isn’t. Many people describe bed rotting as a way to retreat from constant stimulation and recover from overwhelm. It’s a way of pausing to rest and recharge when life feels like it’s too much.

While there’s limited substantiation behind bed rotting, and it isn’t a medical concept, the behavior does overlap with self-care techniques psychologists recognize. Like intentional rest, and behavioral disengagement — taking a step back when you're overwhelmed.

Ultimately, bed rotting is whatever you make of it. Spending a day in bed can feel replenishing after burnout. But if you spend weeks in bed, this could be a sign of emotional depletion or depression.

Why do people choose to bed rot?

When traditional self-care doesn’t cut it, many people retreat to the one place that feels safe: their bed. Here are five reasons why people bed rot as a way to reclaim their peace:

1. Emotional and physical burnout: Daily life can feel like a marathon of noise and decisions, and can eventually cause your body to demand a hard stop. Bed rotting can be that hard stop.

2. Resistance to hustle culture: For some people, bed rotting is a way of rejecting the constant pressure to optimize every minute and a reminder that you don’t have to earn your rest.

3. Comfort and safety: The bed can feel like a cocoon of warmth that’s private and predictable when everything else feels unstable.

4. Avoidance or emotional shutdown: Sometimes, rest crosses into withdrawal. When staying in bed stops feeling restorative and starts feeling like numbing out, it may mean you have deeper exhaustion, anxiety, or depression.

5. Reconnection with slowness: At its best, bed rotting offers a rare reset for overstimulated systems. It’s a small way to return to stillness.

Is bed rotting healthy?

It depends. Bed rotting can be a way to rest intentionally, but it can also veer into disconnection territory. The difference lies in how often you do it, how you feel afterward, and what purpose it’s serving.

When does bed rotting support your wellbeing?

If you’ve been running on empty, doing nothing for a while can be a great way to help your body reset.

Resting in bed shifts you out of survival mode. Your heart rate slows, your cortisol drops, and your thoughts start to settle. In moderation, this pause can restore emotional balance, ease physical fatigue, encourage mindfulness, or even reinforce boundaries around productivity.

When does bed rotting become unhealthy?

Problems arise when rest turns into avoidance. If you stay in bed not to recharge but because you can’t face the day, that’s a different kind of exhaustion. Over time, this can blur the line between recovery and retreat.

Frequent or extended bed rotting can lead to disrupted sleep, low mood, or lack of motivation, physical discomfort, and, in some cases, isolation. These risks don’t mean you shouldn’t rest. They just highlight the importance of intention.

Occasional, mindful bed rotting can be deeply restorative. But doing it daily without meaning might signal deeper depletion that needs care.

How to practice mindful bed rotting: 7 tips for intentional rest

Mindful rest is about intentionally creating space to slow down and reconnect, rather than mindlessly zoning out. Here are seven ways you can make bed rotting restorative instead of depleting.

1. Decide when and for how long

Boundaries make rest feel safer. When you give your rest a container, it prevents it from sliding into an unplanned all-day retreat that leaves you groggy later.

Try this: Before you settle in, choose a timeframe like an afternoon, a few hours, or even just one episode of a show.

2. Set the scene for calm, not collapse

There’s a difference between curling up in a cozy space and sinking into a cave of avoidance. So create small environmental cues that tell your brain, this is rest, and not withdrawal.

Try this: Adjust the lighting in your room, open a window for fresh air, keep water nearby, and choose to do something relaxing.

💙 Feeling tired? Explore Tamara Levitt’s Rest session on the Calm App.

3. Choose low-effort and low-stimulation activities

Mindful bed rotting is about choosing activities that soothe rather than overstimulate. This could look like reading something gentle, listening to a slow podcast, journaling, or simply doing nothing at all.

Try this: When you’re watching a show, notice when it stops feeling enjoyable and starts feeling numbing. When this happens, choose to end your bedrotting session.

4. Check in with your body and emotions

Awareness helps you understand whether your rest is helping or if something deeper might need attention. But make sure to check in with yourself without any judgment.

Try this: Pause every so often and ask yourself how you’re feeling, if your tension is easing, or if you’re trying to escape something. Then adjust accordingly.

5. Move or stretch occasionally

Incorporating gentle movement into your bedrotting routine can help you keep balance. It also helps keep your body from feeling sluggish.

Try this: Roll your shoulders, stretch your arms, or get up to refill your glass of water every so often.

6. Have a soft “reentry” plan

When your rest window ends, transition slowly, as a gentle restart can help you shift out of bed mode without shock or guilt.

Try this: Sit up, take a few deep breaths. Then try one small grounding activity like making tea, taking a short walk, or sending a text to a friend.

💙 Relax and rejuvenate by listening to Calm’s Restorative Piano 432 Hz playlist.

7. Reflect on how it felt

Afterward, notice whether you feel more centered, tired, calm, or heavy. Over time, you’ll start to recognize which kind of rest actually restores you and which kind drains your energy more.

Try this: Take a minute to write down how you felt before and after bed rotting. Or just say it to yourself or out loud.

What is bed rotting FAQs

Is bed rotting bad for you?

Not necessarily. Occasional bed rotting can be a healthy form of intentional inactivity, and a way to recharge when you’re emotionally or physically depleted. It becomes unhealthy when it stops feeling restful and starts feeling like avoidance.

If you notice that bedrotting starts disrupting your sleep, or that it makes it harder for you to function, reach out for help to get the assistance you need.

How do I stop bed rotting?

A good way is to set limits. You could tell yourself, “I’ll rest for an hour, then get up for a walk.” Also building in movement, light, and gentle structure can help your body re-engage without shame.

That said, if it feels impossible to leave bed, ask yourself what might be underneath the fatigue. Addressing the root cause is more effective than forcing yourself out of bed by willpower alone.

If this pattern is persistent, reach out to a therapist who can support you in rebuilding energy and motivation at a pace that feels doable.

Can bed rotting be considered self-care?

Yes, if it’s practiced intentionally. Mindful bed rotting can be a form of self-care, especially when you’re emotionally overloaded or simply need permission to stop. The main difference is awareness.

When you decide to rest because your body needs it, that’s care. But when you stay in bed because you can’t face the day, that’s a signal that you need extra support or that your nervous system needs more attention.

What’s the difference between bed rotting and lazy days in bed?

A lazy day tends to be lighthearted, guilt-free, and restorative. Bed rotting, on the other hand, often carries an undertone of emotional fatigue or overwhelm, where staying in bed feels like the only option.

Both are valid forms of self-care, and you may need them at different times.

How do I make bed rotting more mindful and intentional?

Start with boundaries. Choose when bed rotting begins and when it ends, curate a calm environment, and check in with how you’re feeling throughout.

You can also add in little moments of movement, like sitting up or stretching, to help your body stay grounded.

When you finish, notice if you feel restored. If so, that’s a sign you used the time well. But if you feel heavier, this could mean your body needs a different kind of care, like connection or fresh air.

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bed rotting

Calm Editorial Team