Dictionary.com recently added “bed rotting” to the dictionary, which is when you stay in bed all day to retreat from activity or stress. Well, it turns out that’s not the only bed-related habit that’s been trending lately.
According to the New York Post, more and more people seem to be embracing the Scottish sleep habit called “hurkle-durkle,” a 200-year-old term to describe staying in your bed when you know you should be getting up.
While they sound like similar practices, they’re actually quite different. With bed rotting, folks tend to spend all day in bed, even bringing snacks and electronic devices with them to keep them entertained. Hurkle-durkle, on the other hand, is limited to extra lounging time in bed in the morning only, before finally getting up and starting your day.
This may be a Scottish practice, but it appears to be taking off on social media, with several posts about it turning up on TikTok. In fact, a recent video explaining the practice went viral, with over 3.9 million people viewing it.
And while it may sound lazy, the hurkle-durkle practice may actually be good for your health. As if you need another reason to not get out of bed, a 2023 study reported that getting extra sleep on the weekends could decrease the chance of a heart attack or stroke. There’s also a good shot it will decrease the chance of you being grumpy all day.