Bed rotting
Etymology
A compound of bed and rotting (staying so long you half-joke you’re decomposing). It spread as a self-care trend on TikTok in 2023, debated as either healthy rest or avoidance.
noun · /BED ROT-ing/
Spending a long, unbroken stretch in bed — scrolling, napping, doing nothing — as deliberate rest or comfort.
What it names
It names the choice to stay horizontal on purpose, reframing extended idleness as restorative rather than lazy. It gives a name (and mild permission) to a low-effort form of self-soothing.
Example
After that week I earned a full Saturday of bed rotting with snacks and a show.
Related idea
Close to sibling goblin mode, but bed rotting is stillness and rest, where goblin mode is active, messy indulgence.