Is Bed Rotting a Good Idea?

The ABCs of an alternative approach to spiritual health.

Each year, dictionary.com releases a list of new words that will become a part of the lexicon. Last year, more than 1,500 words or expressions were added, the most notable of which were arguably Barbiecore, pretty privilege, slow fashion, greedflation and food insecure.

But perhaps most interesting — and relevant as we stand poised on the cusp of a new year, reading the opening salvo of Paul’s letter to Ephesian Christians — is another new expression: bed rotting.

Bed rotting is a reference to the practice of laying abed all day, but not because one is ailing. Rather, bed rotting is the practice of snacking, watching TV or surfing the internet while staying abed — sometimes for two or three days. Practitioners of the craft defend it as a voluntary retreat from activity or stress. It is, they say, a form of self-care that allows them to rest, recover and rejuvenate after experiencing burnout, chronic tension or job-related trauma.

So, when facing stress, why...