After weeks of gift shopping, family reunions, nonstop cooking and pre-dawn church visits, burnout can hit just as hard as the holidays themselves. If all you want to do now is stay in bed and do absolutely nothing, Gen Z has a name for it — and doctors say that, done right, it can actually be healthy.

The trend is called “bed rotting,” a self-care practice that means intentionally spending time in bed to rest, scroll, snack, nap, or binge-watch your favorite shows. It’s about slowing down, tuning out the noise and giving yourself permission to pause.

“At a time when people try to cram as many activities as possible into a single day, it’s natural to step away from the busyness to decompress and breathe,” psychiatrist Dr. Anna Marie Lantano said.

The idea isn’t new. Other cultures have long embraced rest in different forms — from the Dutch concept of niksen, which celebrates idleness, to Italy’s dolce far niente, or “the sweetness of doing nothing.”

According to Dr. Lantano, bed rotting isn’t about being lazy — as long as it’s intentional and time-limited. “It’s about giving yourself permission to take a break from the world,” she explained. She also warned there’s a fine line between self-care and self-sabotage.

Experts recommend scheduling bed rotting on a free day or weekend and avoiding stretches that are too long, which may make it harder to return to daily responsibilities. It should also not be used as a way to avoid emotions, people, or obligations.

Work, in particular, should stay out of the bedroom. Answering emails, finishing reports, or preparing presentations defeats the purpose of a mental health break. Instead, Dr. Lantano suggests watching a show, resting without gadgets, or switching things up — like reading a physical book or calling a friend instead of scrolling.

Sleep is a big part of bed rotting, but daytime naps should be kept short to avoid disrupting nighttime rest. And despite the name, staying completely still all day isn’t advised. Getting up every two to three hours to stretch and walk helps with circulation and lowers health risks.

Most importantly, Dr. Lantano says, ditch the guilt. “Feeling bad for ‘doing nothing’ has no place in a mental health day,” she said. “Think of bed rotting as a reward for everything you do for others — and a way to come back recharged and ready to face the real world again.”