Expert: While spending lazy days in bed is "very tempting," it doesn't actually promote relaxation. Here are some ways to revitalize yourself instead
It's really alluring," Boardman remarks.However, the truth is that many people don't feel all that much better after indulging in a protracted period of bed rotting. They actually feel a little bit more exhausted.
Why bed rot might not be as beneficial as it seems
According to Boardman, bed rotting may interfere with your circadian rhythm, which is your body's internal alarm clock that regulates when you should wake up and go to sleep. It might have made it more difficult for you to get asleep at a decent hour at night or left you feeling drowsy and less refreshed if you've ever had a "rot day" or simply slept in later than usual.A healthy sleep schedule is essential for overall wellbeing.
However, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, getting too much sleep is also linked to a number of health problems, including as depression, obesity, and heart disease.In a similar vein, studies reveal that prolonged looking at a phone or TV screen can lead to eye strain, disturbed sleep, and poor mental health.
According to Boardman, you're not getting enough sleep if you're obsessively scrolling through social media, binge watching a new show, or sleeping in too much. All you're doing is diverting your attention from the issue at hand, which could be unhealthy habits, work-related fatigue, or a stressful situation.
Improved methods for recharging
When you need to recharge, spending hours in bed may seem like a good idea, but Boardman notes that real rest is more "intentional" and "often the opposite of what we feel like doing."She suggests experimenting with your routine and suggesting any kind of low-impact workout or soothing activity that helps your body heal while also putting you in a positive frame of mind.
She suggests experimenting with your routine and suggesting any kind of low-impact workout or soothing activity that helps your body heal while also putting you in a positive frame of mind.It sounds odd, but rest, in Boardman’s perspective, can include whatever activity improves your mental or external well-being in the long term.
So that you don’t interfere with your sleep at night, move your rot session to the couch, the kitchen table or a guest bedroom, she told TODAY.com in 2023. Swap scrolling time with reading or meditating, she added. You can also walk around your home or turn on a quick follow-along workout to get your blood pumping.
Active resting might require a little bit of effort, Boardman says. But “it can be really helpful” in making sure you’re actually refreshed and recharged.
Even if it is impossible for you to leave your house, Dianne Augelli, a sleep medicine specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine/New-York Presbyterian, says there are still better ways to decay than laying in bed.
Move your rot session to the couch, the kitchen table, or a guest bedroom so that it doesn't interfere with your nighttime sleep, she advised TODAY.com in 2023. She suggested substituting reading or meditation for scrolling time. To get your heart rate up, you may also do a little follow-along workout or take a stroll around your house.
According to Boardman, active resting could involve some work. However, "it can be really helpful" in ensuring that you're truly revitalized.
