Picture this: it’s Saturday morning, the rain is pounding on the roof, the room is cool and the blankets are warm, there’s nothing on the day’s agenda. You label the next 24 hours as ‘duvet day’.
Millions of TikTok users and users of other social media sites have been touting the benefits and joys of a duvet day, or “bed rot” – as many Tiktokers call it – in recent months.
Clips posted using the term “bed rot” have been viewed more than 125 million times on TikTok.
The concept is simple; After a stressful week or few days, going to bed and doing nothing but self-care activities can provide the ultimate recovery.
Fans of the practice have said that a day of nothing gave them better mental focus than they had experienced in months, and that they even noticed a renewed drive to be productive.
But psychologists are skeptical and some even worry.
People predisposed to depression may see their symptoms worsen after a day spent in bed, they say.
Laurel Roberts-Meese, op licensed marriage and family therapist told DailyMail.com that the trend could be masking symptoms of clinical depression, as he believes it is completely normal to spend days at a time in bed and not seek help for their mental health problem.
Meanwhile, experts have also warned against exacerbating avoidance behavior by locking oneself in bed all day, isolated from the world.
Dr. Katrina Ostmeyer, psychologist and CEO at Beyond the individual, said: “Avoidance is the fuel for anxiety and depression, and when you spend all day in bed avoiding your thoughts, feelings, or problems, you are actually fueling these feelings and symptoms.
‘In addition, we miss opportunities to actively participate in life, which is better for our mental and physical health.’
Some experts also argue that in our iPhone-obsessed world, duvet day often becomes an opportunity for endless social media scrolling — which multiple studies show can increase the risk of developing anxiety and eating disorders.
However, the number of mental illnesses among young people has risen by at least a third in the past decade With limited resources to help them, it’s no wonder many are coming up with their own remedies.
Dr. Gordon Flett, a psychologist at York University in Toronto, Canada, who specializes in perfectionism, told DailyMail.com that while he doesn’t fully support the concept, he’s not surprised it’s so popular.
“The pressure of meeting today’s impossible expectations can be unrelenting,” he said. “So it’s not that hard to imagine a burned-out and exhausted perfectionist ending up in such a state.”
So what’s the truth about the bed rot trend – and should you try it when you’re feeling down? DailyMail.com spoke to a number of leading psychologists to find out.
The term “bed rot” alone is enough to inspire contempt among mental health professionals.
Ms Roberts-Meese told DailyMail.com: ‘I don’t actually think that reflects the purpose of resting all day.
‘To rot sounds negative, I don’t want people to feel like they have to rot in order to rest.’
She adds that the concept sends an insidious message that demonizes rest and instead makes the person feel less than giving themselves a break.
“I would worry that depressive behavior could be masked as fatigue, because the two can be very similar.”
Others have raised concerns about what is known as ‘functional freeze’, a mental, physical, and emotional state in which a person becomes paralyzed by apathy. It often manifests as self-isolation, feeling emotionally numb, and feeling constantly overwhelmed.
Liz Tenuto, who coaches people in stress-relieving exercises, said: ‘While there’s nothing wrong with cheating every now and then to recharge your batteries… if you do this regularly, i.e. three times a week or more, it is a sign that your nervous system is actively being switched off to protect you from even more stress.’
Some bed rot advocates, like Cassidy Morrison of DailyMail.com, use duvet days to recharge, rather than simply shutting off from the world.
But proponents say duvet day isn’t just a marathon of doing nothing. It may involve reading, watching a comforting movie, journaling, coloring, and light stretching.
The experts conclude that moderation is key. For example, one duvet day per week is sufficient.
And it’s best to take a horizontal and goal-oriented approach to time management, says Ms. Roberts-Meese.
“When you just wake up and think, Oh, I don’t really have anything planned. I think I’ll just stay in bed, it’s more likely to make you feel worse.
‘I advise people to be careful with their intake if they are in bed all day. That could be nutrients, food intake, making sure that’s nourishing in any way. And also what media you watch, something that really inspires you or that you learn from or that you really get comfort from, that is very different from mindlessly scrolling.