It’s past noon, you’re still in bed, and getting up is the last thing you want to do. You open your phone and scroll endlessly through all your social media, wondering how you’ve wasted most of the day away. As the thoughts of laziness begin to crawl into your mind, you simply roll over. “No,” you think, “I needed this.”
Bed-rotting, a term coined on TikTok, delves into a form of self-care you may already indulge in. Similar to a “mental health day,” bed-rotting can look like laying in bed for an extended time as you engage in passive activities such as watching television or using electronics. Weighed down by the guilt of neglecting my to-do list, I used to think this was counterproductive. However, I’ve found that when all my body wants to do is take a break, bed-rotting may be exactly what I need.
I often forget how much energy it takes to exist. In a capitalist society that glorifies productivity and achievement, bed-rotting reminds me that it’s okay to slow down. Interestingly, the choice to label extensive rest as “rotting” enforces the narrative that it’s something to avoid. Capitalism manages to infuse itself into the language we use to resist it. Despite the name, I don’t believe bed-rotting is something to fear. I can distance myself from the tasks on my Google Calendar or the endless emails in my inbox. The world will not end if I don’t start my assignment for a few more hours. Even with the lingering feeling that there isn’t enough time for it all, there most definitely is.
My existence is more than my level of productivity. To exist as me is to love, move, speak, listen, laugh, and so forth. I am greater than the sum of my accomplishments. I’m someone who moves through life nearly every day attempting to do it all when in reality, that isn’t possible. A lot of energy goes into avoiding bike crashes or awkward run-ins with people I don’t need to see on campus! Sadly, I’ve managed to find myself in both of these situations… either way, I am constantly taking in, processing, and reacting to information from all around.
It’s easy to overlook how much effort it takes to go through the motions of each day. That doesn’t even account for the conveyor belt of assignments that the quarter system keeps on an endless loop. It seems like every week welcomes a new essay, project, or midterm that shouldn’t even constitute a midterm since I’ve already had three of them for the same class. Is it really a midterm at that point?
It’s no surprise that my body may need to reset sometimes by doing nothing. Ironically, however, bed-rotting is doing something for me. Laying in bed provides me with a sanctuary from the outside, where all I have to do is exist with no ties to external expectations. It’s reassurance that I can peacefully take a break despite the world urging me to do more.
I begin bed-rotting with a set intention. I clarify why the rest is needed and plan when my responsibilities can be addressed if not now. Rather than aimlessly doing it, I find it important to bed-rot with meaning.
In addition, I believe bed-rotting is the best when your bed is somewhere you love being. It can be hard to accomplish that at college; I’m not sure anything will feel as comfortable as the bed in my childhood home. Nonetheless, I do my best to replicate it, which is why I’ve added two main accessories to my bed that I consider to be essential.
First, I have a large infrared heating pad on my bed that soothes aching muscles. This honestly changed my life. My bed is constantly warm and comfortable, which may be contributing to how hard it can be to leave it! While I think any heating pad would be nice, I’m particularly fond of infrared ones since they help relax muscles, promote collagen production, and improve blood circulation.
After a week of classes, working out, and running from one meeting to another, my infrared heating pad relieves my muscle tension and helps me feel re-energized. High-quality infrared heating pads can be pricier, yet not a day goes by that I’m not grateful for mine.
Winter quarter also makes me feel like my room is the Tundra. I complain every winter and receive no consolation from my friends on the East Coast, but anything below 60 degrees in Santa Barbara is enough for me to grumble about. Luckily, I have skillfully survived the winter cold this year thanks to my next bed-rotting essential: the perfect weighted blanket. Over winter break, I received a large weighted blanket internally lined with a fuzzy fabric — otherwise known as the greatest invention ever!
On the surface this may seem simple — a blanket is just another blanket. But, I’m here to prove that notion wrong. My weighted blanket has transformed my bed into an actual cocoon of comfort. It helps put my autonomous nervous system into a state of calmness, decreasing my stress and allowing my body to rest. I turn on my heating pad and sink underneath the blanket’s weight, literally hiding away from all my assignments.
I find bed-rotting to be most enjoyable when I engage in passive activities that bring me joy. While my instinct is to binge-watch Gilmore Girls or scroll through TikTok for hours on end, I try to remember the eventual headache that comes with excessive screen time. Instead, I reach for a good book or my journal. During this, I reframe the mentality that my hobbies must produce value and instead focus on having fun. What I do while bed-rotting is for me and me only.
I will admit that I know bed-rotting for too long can make me feel worse. As much as I love caring for myself, I keep deadlines at the back of my mind to make sure I don’t miss anything that could make me more stressed in the future. If I ever need to get out of a bed-rot funk, I start by just showering. It’s a task that I can do mindlessly and that gives my body a literal cleanse from the hibernation I’ve been in. From there, I start tasks slowly and give myself grace as I enter the world again.
The art of resting is a practice of self-preservation. As someone who finds it difficult to take naps, bed-rotting gives me the rest I need to face reality. Finally, when I feel capable, I roll out of bed and open up my laptop, ready to check off the first thing on my to-do list: writing an article about bed-rotting, my favorite form of self-care.