Working Remotely: The ‘rot’ sets in….

It wasn’t so long ago lounging around in bed on a rainy Sunday was a rare indulgence—seen in equal parts cozy, stress reducing and a well-deserved break from the pressures of adult responsibility. That was then.

These days it’s called “bed rotting,” and its proliferation—egged on by its popularity on TikTok—is an extension of the remote-work trends that emerged from the pandemic. With work-from-home flexibilities allowing employees to punch in from the comforts of bedroom offices and conduct conference calls in soft silk jammies, the need to throw off the king-sized comforter is all but nonexistent in some work circles.

According to results of a recent survey released by sleep-health site sleepdoctor.com, 62% of remote workers admit to bed rotting during work hours. And when they do, 40% spend more than three hours of work a day in bed. What’s more, the majority of bed rotters say the practice improves their work performance, and many believe it positively impacts their sleep and overall mental health.

Despite how inviting a workday under the sheets sounds, not everyone is convinced it’s a good thing. “Hanging out in bed for extended periods of time is not a great idea,” says clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Breus. Breus says when people are lying in bed for extended periods of time, it confuses the brain as to whether it’s wake or sleep time. “You really want to only be in bed when you’re getting your seven to nine hours of sleep,” says Breus, adding there’s “plenty” of data to back this up.

So what work tasks are bed rotters performing while snuggled up under those down comforters?

• Answering emails (78%)
• Reviewing documents (71%)
• Working on projects (66%)
• Phone calls (62%)
• Reporting (36%)
• Meetings with camera turned on (36%)
• Meetings with camera turned off (34%)