Is the new bed rotting trend ruining your mattress?

Originating on TikTok (of course it is), the bed rotting trend has nothing to do with your actual bed frame rotting. Don’t worry we’re not recommending you let your bed rot as the next bedroom design tip. Even though that’s where our minds went the first time we heard the term. 

It actually refers to a more extreme version of an activity most of us have partaken in at some point - laying in bed for long periods of time without moving a muscle, bingeing favourite TV shows, scrolling through Instagram or/and eating. 

While some are TikTokers promoting bed rotting as a self-care trend, sitting or laying in bed in the same position for prolonged periods could just be destroying your precious mattress below you. And we all know the best mattresses rarely come cheap. So we went to the experts to find out whether this is something we should be worried about or not. 

Can the bed rotting trend ruin your mattress?

Bed rotting seems to be just a rebrand of what you might call goblin mode, lazing around, or what Ideal Home’s Deputy Editor Rebecca Knight endearingly refers to as ‘gremlining’. Everyone has their name for it. But did you ever consider it might be causing damage to your mattress?

Despite its popularity on TikTok, the trend is already being condemned by health professionals as potentially contributing to depression or being a sign of it, so it’s not something to be celebrated. And now, it’s the turn of mattress manufacturers. 

‘Sitting in one position on a mattress for an extended period can cause damage,’ confirms Victoria Cedeno, Brand Specialist at mattress brand Zinus. ‘But it really depends on various factors such as the quality and materials of the mattress.' So if you've made mistakes when buying a mattress then you've yourself up for failure.

‘A good quality pocket sprung mattress is designed with support in place around its edges,’ explains Amanda Castle, Marketing Manager at Hypnos Beds. ‘If you regularly sit on the edge of your mattress, the focused weight distribution could potentially cause wear and reduce support over time.’

‘As a general rule of thumb, for optimum sleep and wellbeing, bedrooms should be reserved for its primary purpose as opposed to distractions such as watching TV or working,'

What can you do to stop your mattress from deteriorating?

If you still insist on partaking in the bed rotting trend, then we suggest taking care of your mattress and picking it wisely. A few tricks are regularly cleaning it and knowing how often you should rotate your mattress (that’s right, not flip, rotate). 

'Our mattresses are prone to wear and tear, but many don’t realise the impact this can have on our sleep, and consequently, on how you feel when you wake up,' explains Alison Jones, Sleep Expert at mattress brand Sealy UK. 

'A mattress will understandably become worn or damaged over time as factors like weight, pressure points, and sleep positions take a toll night after night.' Now add sitting positions to the equation too.

‘There are things you can do to prolong their lifespan like keeping it clean by changing your bedding regularly and using a mattress protector,’ says Victoria from Zinus. ‘We also suggest rotating - instead of flipping - your mattress occasionally, this helps to distribute your weight evenly across the surface.’

But the bottom line is to get out of bed - it’s better both for you and your mattress.