The average American spends 15 full days per year bed rotting — and sleep experts are worried

Even as a sleep writer who takes their sleep hygiene very seriously, I do enjoy the occasional afternoon or long morning 'rotting' in bed. And I'm not alone. In fact, new research has revealed that a huge 89% of Gen Z spend over 21 days a year bed rotting...

It sounds pretty gross, but bed rotting is a popular self-care trend among Gen Z on social media with over 50K TikToks documenting people's love of staying in bed all day long, blinds closed, lights dimmed and devices to hand *sleep hygiene alarm bells*.

While some do it to fight fatigue, others do it to escape stress or recover from burnout. Conscious of the implications extensive time in bed can have on one's sleep health, I've called upon neuroscientist and CEO of Defined Sleep Dr. Paul Muchowski and licensed mental health counselor Eliana Bonaguro to get their expert verdict on the trend.

What is bed rotting?

Under the guise of 'self-care', bed rotting involves spending extended periods in bed, not sleeping but partaking in passive activities like doomscrolling, eating or watching TV.

Some people do it to relax and recuperate in a society where burnout and stress are rife, while others are using it as escapism, distracting themselves from financial stress, political issues or personal worries.

According to new research by Amerisleep, the average American spends 364 hours a year bed rotting, equivalent to 15 full days. And Gen Z leads the bed rotting trend, with 89% participating and spending 498 hours (21 days) a year doing so.

Top reasons why Americans are bed rotting include having low energy levels, escaping stress or anxiety, lacking motivation or procrastinating.

Reasons why sleep experts warn against bed rotting

From throwing off your body clock (also known as circadian rhythm) to lowering your mood, there are several reasons why sleep expert raise an eyebrow at bed rotting. Here's why Dr. Muchowski and Eliana Bonaguro are concerned...

1. Your brain dissociates your bed from sleep

Bed rotting confuses your brain. Sleep doctors agree that excess time spent in bed while awake (aka bed rotting) is detrimental for the brain’s natural association between bed and sleep.

"We are creatures of habit, and whether or not we like it, our brain forms natural associations that are sometimes difficult to break," explains Dr. Muchowski.

"For example, while your brain should mainly associate your bed with sleeping, if you start to routinely perform other activities in bed, such as scrolling through your feed on social media before you go to bed or when you wake up in the middle of the night, then your brain will naturally want you to think that bed time is actually meant for screen time," he adds.

2. Your circadian rhythm is thrown off

"Blurring day–night boundaries can push circadian rhythms later, weaken homeostatic sleep pressure, and make insomnia or fragmented sleep more likely," says Bonaguro.

This is because staying in bed all day, or even just all morning, means your body misses out on key “wake-up” signals like daylight and movement, which dysregulates your circadian rhythm.

In turn, your body will continue to produce sleepy hormones like melatonin and suppress alertness hormones like cortisol. This dysregulation in your sleep hormone cycles means you'll have less energy in day and less sleep drive come evening.

"Spending a lot of time in bed during the day (like sleeping in until noon) prevents your brain from receiving the natural light signals that would normally jumpstart the circadian clock," Dr. Muchowski says.

"This could cause your circadian clock to be delayed, ultimately making it difficult for you to fall asleep at your normal bed time," he adds.

3. Your mood is more likely to be low

As a mental health expert, Bonaguro warns bed rotting can lower your mood as a result of reduced movement and sunlight exposure (it's true, exercise and light are natural antidotes to poor mental health).

"Spending long stretches of time horizontally in bed during the day can mimic one of depression’s strongest behavioral risk factors — inactivity," She explains.

"Reduced movement and reduced exposure to daylight lower mood and dull the body’s natural sleep drive."

In place of getting quality ZZZs, you're more likely to spend time dealing with worrisome thoughts. "For those who also suffer from depression or anxiety, excess bed rotting can increase rumination," Dr. Muchowski adds.

4. Your sleep space won't be as hygienic

We know a clean sleep space is key to getting good quality sleep. Yet, no matter how clean you may think you are as a person, spending days in bed ultimately means there’s more sweat, body oils and skin debris building up in your sheets.

Snacking in bed is also part of the bed rotting trend. Those inevitable crumbs muck up your sheet and can even invite creepy crawlies into your sleep space — did someone say bed bugs?

The point is lounging and eating in bed can literally have a negative impact on your sleep hygiene.

Experts advice to bed-rotters

If you are someone who finds comfort in bed rotting, giving it up for better sleep may not be easy. So, is there a sleep-friendly way to bed rot?

This will revolve around discipline and boundaries. To preserve healthy nighttime sleep after spending a lot of time in bed, experts agree you should:

• Set boundaries: The occasional Sunday resting in bed may be just what your body needs to charge up before a working week, but regularly spending multiple days at a time in bed will lead to the issues above. Limit your bed rot days, set time limits, and be mindful about whether your body really needs it.
• Get up: If you can’t sleep within 15 to 20 minutes after a day of bed rotting, Bonaguro advises you get out of bed and do a low-stimulating activity like listening to a boring podcast or reading a boring book in dim lights until you’re drowsy again.
• Use a separate space: If you can, lounging around in a different space to where you actually sleep, be that on the couch or spare bedroom, is a wise idea. This means your brain will still associate your bedroom with nighttime sleep.

3 sleep hygiene tips you should follow

Bed rotting aside, these are Tom's Guide's sleep team's top tips for sleeping better at night...

1. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule

Sleep regularity > sleep duration: that's the one sleep tip our features editor Lauren wishes she knew sooner.

Waking up and going to sleep at the same time each day is key to regulating those all-important sleep cycles mentioned above.

With a well regulated circadian clock, you become a naturally efficient sleeper who can drift off peacefully at night and wake up refreshed come morning.

2. Establish a bedtime routine

As mentioned above, we're creatures of habit and your body needs certain signals to wind down to sleep.

Even as adults, following a nighttime routine with several relaxing steps (we're talking a warm shower, bedtime story or stretching routine) helps your mind and body recognise it's time to hit the hay and fall asleep fast.

3. Avoid eating late at night

A late night snack may seem harmless (I'll admit, I'm guilty of enjoying one myself). But firing up your metabolism and raising body temperature, eating late at night goes against the temperature drop needed to facilitate quality slumber.

Therefore, if you enjoy a pre-bed snack, consider opting for sleep-friendly foods like magnesium-rich almonds or flavonoid-packed kiwis for better sleep outcomes.