You just had one of the most stressful and busiest weeks of your life, and all you want to do this weekend is nothing but relax in bed. That probably sounds like a great idea. I mean, you’re resting your body, right? And your body does need rest every now and then. Resting is healthy; I completely understand that.
And honestly, sometimes it can be really enjoyable to stay in bed, watch your favorite show, or read your favorite books. But I also think that bedrotting is not always the best solution when you’re exhausted. In some cases, it can actually be bad for you.
Note: With this post, I’m not saying you can never bedrot. The problem starts when it becomes a regular habit. At that point, it may stop being beneficial and could even start affecting your mental and physical health.
Why Bedrotting is Bad for You
It can worsen your mental health
If you’ve had a terrible day or week, bed rest might not be the best solution, especially if it becomes a regular habit. Doing it once in a while isn’t necessarily bad, but if you do it often, it can start creating more problems in your life and even worsen your mental health.
First of all, you begin isolating yourself by staying in bed all the time. You also move your body less, even though physical movement can actually help improve your mental health. Sometimes going for a walk, getting fresh air, or doing something active can make a bigger difference than lying in bed all day.
When you spend too much time in bed doing nothing, you also give yourself more time to overthink. Your mind starts replaying everything, and overthinking can quickly make you feel even worse.
And on top of that, bedrotting often leads to doomscrolling. You end up endlessly scrolling on your phone, which is not only a huge waste of time but can also negatively affect your mental health even more.
It reduces your energy levels
You’ve had a busy week, and you’re exhausted. Resting in bed might seem like the best solution. You probably think your body needs rest so you’ll have more energy for the next few days or the upcoming week.
But sometimes, the opposite is actually true.
When you spend too much time sitting or lying down, you can end up feeling even more tired and sluggish. That’s why, after doing almost nothing all day, you may still feel exhausted. Meanwhile, once you start moving and doing things, you often notice that your energy slowly comes back.
If you’re truly tired, the best solution is to get enough quality sleep at night and then move your body during the day. Even small amounts of movement, like going for a walk, stretching, or cleaning, can help you feel more energized.
It can disrupt your sleep
Your bed should ideally be a place that your brain associates with sleep. Try not to watch movies in bed, scroll on your phone, or eat there. If you only use your bed for sleeping (and maybe one other activity), your brain will start connecting your bed with rest and sleep. Over time, this can actually help you fall asleep faster.
But if you spend hours bedrotting, scrolling, or doing everything in bed, that connection becomes weaker. Your brain no longer sees your bed as a place for sleep only, which can negatively affect your sleep quality.
If you want to have a lazy day and relax a little more, it’s better to do it on the couch or somewhere else instead. That way, your bed remains a space dedicated to rest and sleep.
You will start doomscrolling
Bedrotting became a trend on social media, and one thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of people also scroll on their phones while doing it. There are two reasons why this isn’t great.
First of all, as I mentioned, doomscrolling can negatively affect your mental health. The second reason is that it cancels out the “benefits” of resting. The point of bedrotting is that you need or want to rest, but doomscrolling is actually very demanding on your brain.
So after a day of scrolling on your phone in bed, your body might feel physically rested, but you’ll often feel exhausted anyway because your brain is drained from all the stimulation.
You will start avoiding things
Maybe there is a deeper reason why you want to bedrot, and I’m not an expert. There might be something going on with your mental or physical health, and in that case, it’s best to see a doctor.
But sometimes people also bedrot to avoid things. Maybe it has become a “safe space,” and when you stay in bed, you feel less stressed or anxious. However, staying in bed is not going to solve the underlying problem. Or maybe you are avoiding something else entirely.
Your body needs movement
Sometimes resting is good. But if you barely move your body during the day, you might start to notice some things. You will start to feel exhausted, and you can experience headaches, muscle stiffness, and poor posture. Over time, if you bedrot a lot, your physical problems may become worse. You might experience lower back pain and other issues.
Movement is actually really good for your body. Our bodies are made to move; we are not built to sit or lie down for hours at a time. So even when you are tired, try going out for a slow walk. I bet that will give you more energy.
Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash