- Three experts spoke to The New York Times about staying awake in bed
- Shorter moments of lounging in bed are known as ‘hurkle durkle’
- Another form is ‘bed rot’, but it involves lying in bed for a longer period of time
Experts in the field of sleep and neurology have made recommendations on how long it is acceptable to stay in bed after waking up in the morning.
Three doctors have spoken The New York Times about the recently dubbed phenomenon ‘bed rot’ – when one spends an excessive amount of time lying down, usually on the phone.
For shorter periods of lounging in bed, the behavior is also known as ‘hurkle durkle’ – a Scottish term that has gone viral on TikTok as a way to characterize the tendency to lounge between the sheets for varying periods of time after the alarm has gone off.
According to Dr. Eleanor McGlinchey, sleep psychologist at Manhattan Therapy Collective and associate professor of psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University, staying in bed provides a sense of “freedom of choice” despite a hectic schedule.
A trio of experts spoke to The New York Times about the pros and cons of ‘bed rot’ – lying for extended periods of time – and indulging in ‘hurkle durkle’ style post-alarm lounging.
But there is a limit to what feels truly relaxing.
“For some people, picking up their phone and scrolling through email or turning on the news while they’re in bed makes them more stressed,” Dr. McGlinchey to the Times.
“So now you’ve been lazing around in bed and feeling worse.”
She further emphasized that people should carry out their actions, or lack thereof, with a “purpose.”
“I tell people to do what they’re going to do on purpose,” the doctor explained.
‘Don’t be dependent on reports that come in overnight. Use your time consciously.’
It’s also important for those who struggle with insomnia to avoid training their body to lie awake in bed, according to Dr. Alcibiades J. Rodriguez, a neurologist and medical director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center-Sleep Center at NYU Langone Health.
Dr. Marjorie Soltis, a sleep medicine specialist and assistant professor of neurology at Duke University School of Medicine, also chimed in.
Dr. Marjorie Soltis encourages readers to ‘listen to your body’
“If you wake up and feel good and this is part of your routine, you don’t have to stop,” she said, adding, “But I think 30 minutes is a good threshold.”
She further encouraged people to “listen to your body… If you feel better after resting, you may get some benefit from that, even though it’s not the same as sleeping.”
Regarding bed rot in general, Dr. McGlinchey considers it an acceptable way to deal with burnout – at least in moderation.
“If you want to stay in bed for a day because you’re feeling burned out, do that and don’t feel bad about it,” she offered.
“But if it makes you feel depressed or anxious, or causes you to be out of work and less functional, then you should withdraw.”
Overall, Dr. Rodriguez that ‘enjoying your bed is a good thing.’
Last week, DailyMail.com took a deep dive into the ‘hurkle durkle’ trend, the hashtag of which has racked up millions of views on TikTok.
As one commenter put it, “Adding this to my list of hobbies.”
And in May last year, DailyMail.com investigated how ‘bed rot’ is becoming the internet’s favorite method for ‘self-care’.