“How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?”
Proverbs 6.9
“The very act of rising up was felt as a fatigue.”
“Rip Van Winkle” | Washington Irving
I recently stumbled across something called “bed rotting.” Sounds gross, right? And honestly — it kind of is. It’s not just unappealing; it’s unhealthy. Generation Z seems to be leading the charge on this habit, which involves spending excessive time in bed doing… well, nothing. So, if you have a child between the ages of 13 and 28, this is something you’ll want to know about. And maybe send them this article too.
“Bed rotting is when someone deliberately chooses to remain alone in their bed rather than engage in activities that require more effort, social interaction, or energy,” explains licensed mental health counselor Nicole Maselli. This behavior often goes hand-in-hand with binge-watching shows and doom scrolling — the compulsive habit of endlessly scrolling through negative news or content online.
Together, these habits create a cycle that’s hard to break and can have real consequences on mental and physical health.
Unfortunately, the trend of “bed rotting” is now being marketed as a form of self-care — a paradox that’s hard to ignore. Isolation, poor sleep hygiene, a sedentary lifestyle, and the mental and emotional toll that come with excessive time in bed are all serious concerns. When this behavior becomes habitual, it can even foster a kind of emotional dependency. Perhaps it’s time we stop labeling behaviors as “self-care” when they’re the opposite of caring for ourselves.
Bed rotting isn’t a new phenomenon. In fact, Solomon warned against it 3,000 years ago, cautioning not just about the obvious risks, but the hidden dangers beneath the surface. First, bed rotting represents procrastination — specifically, the avoidance of responsibility. The longer young people delay embracing responsibility, the harder it becomes to take that step.
Secondly, bed rotting brings with it subtle yet deeply destructive consequences.
Just as a person who wastes their summer lying in bed only to be shocked by their poverty later on, someone who succumbs to the lure of bed rotting will eventually find themselves facing unforeseen physical and mental health challenges. The longer you avoid action, the more damage is done.
The solution? Create a simple daily routine, establish healthy boundaries around technology, and embrace the challenge of doing hard things. I’ve got my own Gen Zer at home, and he’s a prime example of what it looks like to avoid the trap of bed rotting. He cuts the grass on the riding mower, changes the oil in our vehicles, and splits and stacks firewood. These tasks might seem old-school, but they help him build responsibility, resilience, and a strong work ethic. By creating a culture of discipline and routine — and teaching the value of appreciating hard work — we can offer a far healthier alternative to the passive habits of bed rotting.
There’s not much worse than sleeping your life away — especially when so much of it is still ahead of you.
Andrew and Kristy Miller, along with their seven children, live in Sterling and serve at Sterling Baptist Church located at the corner of Swanson River Road and the Sterling Highway. Family worship is at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
