【Healthy Life Special Topic】Being idle for more than 2 days is bad for your physical and mental health. It will cause more stress in bed.

Text: Li Yundi, “Ming Pao”

(Hong Kong News) Faced with the pressure of life, some people like to relax, while others choose to lie down! Recently, “new ways” to deal with stress have appeared.

Foreign media reported that bed rotting is a new trend that has recently become popular on social media platforms. People lie in bed all day long, browse the Internet and watch TV shows, and film and share the process.

However, experts point out that staying in bed for a long time not only fails to relax the body and mind, but also adds more stress and affects the quality of sleep.

Bedrotting is a new trend that has swept through social platforms recently. Netizens lie in bed for long periods of time, doing nothing but browsing the Internet, going to chat rooms, watching videos, and eating three meals a day using their mobile phones, tablets, or laptops. He doesn’t leave the bed and sticks to the bed all day long, as if he is “rotting” in the bed.

#bedrotting-related videos have accumulated more than 100 million views, and are highly praised by many netizens. They left comments saying that bed rotting is their favorite activity, and even said: “I think the goal in this life is to rot in different places: my bed, hotel bed , beach, hammock, etc.”

Avoiding problems keeps piling up

Lying in bed is a way to relax and unwind, but clinical psychologist Liao Jiamin reminds that if lying in bed lasts for more than 2 or 3 days, during which time you will not even do some daily things that must be dealt with, and eat three meals in bed. It may be a warning sign of adverse physical and mental health.

She questioned whether she chose to lie in bed to relieve stress, or to avoid something, such as avoiding school, homework, work, etc.

“There are many ways to reduce stress. Some people use methods that are originally used to reduce stress, but the motivation behind them is to escape stress. They confuse reducing stress with escaping stress, but they are definitely two different things. It seems that lying in bed can reduce stress in the short term. Because there is no need to face pressure (such as going to school, going to work, etc.), but in fact, the things that need to be dealt with are never completed, and even accumulate more and more. They are just delayed. Not only does the pressure not decrease, but it gets bigger and bigger, and the troubles will also increase. “

Decreased muscle strength of less active limbs

Rotting in bed will also affect sleep, which is another issue that needs attention. Sleep hygiene can help combat insomnia, and the connection between bed and sleep is one of the key points of sleep hygiene.

Liao Jiamin pointed out that the bed is used for sleeping, and the two must be closely connected so that we can “automatically” enter the sleep state after going to bed. If you spend a long time in bed doing things that have nothing to do with sleep, such as eating snacks, playing on the phone, watching TV shows, etc., it will greatly weaken the connection between bed and sleep, easily lead to insomnia, and then affect your mood. “Being rotten in bed weakens the bed and sleep cues. The longer you stay in bed, the weaker the cues become.”

Based on the above factors, if you just want to escape stress, or it will damage the quality of your sleep, it means that lying in bed is not the right way to reduce stress.

Liao Jiamin added that if you lie in bed for a long time and rarely move your limbs, your muscle strength will slowly decline and your body will gradually become weak and weak. Once you want to get up and move around, you may feel strenuous due to lack of strength, so you will continue to lie on the bed, creating a vicious cycle. , the body became even more depressed.

Lying down for a long time affects the circulation of Qi and blood

Zhang Ying, a Chinese medicine practitioner, said that the ancient Chinese medicine book “Huangdi Neijing”. Su asked. “Xuan Ming Five Qi” once mentioned the impact of “long lying” on the body, “Long looking hurts the blood, long lying down hurts the Qi, long sitting hurts the flesh, long standing standing hurts the bones, and long walking hurts the tendons, these are the injuries caused by the five types of labor.” If the five instincts of seeing, lying, sitting, standing, and walking are used improperly and excessively, the human body will be easily injured. Among them, “Lying for a long time damages Qi” means that lying down for a long time will damage lung Qi.

“There is a saying in traditional Chinese medicine: ‘The lungs govern the qi of the whole body’, which means that the lungs have the function of regulating the qi of various organs and meridians throughout the body. When the limbs move, the lung qi can be released, which can promote the flow of qi and blood, and the organs can function normally Function.”

Zhang Ying said that from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, if ordinary people deliberately stay in bed for a long time, it will affect the flow of qi and blood, which will cause great harm to the lung qi. During the day, when you should get up and walk around to allow Qi and blood to circulate, but you choose not to get up and walk around, you do some activities in bed that do not require a lot of movement of the body, such as watching dramas, playing on the phone, etc.

“After many days, the Qi and blood will become weaker and worse. Over time, it may lead to poor energy, fatigue, shortness of breath, irregular joints, slow thinking and reaction, lack of appetite, or loss of appetite soon after eating. Feeling full, constipated, etc. If you are a patient, then treat it differently. Your body is not in a normal state due to illness or injury, and you need more rest. Lying down for a long time can reduce the loss of qi and blood and help replenish qi and blood in the body.”

It hurts your body and mind to die in bed

4 Suggestions to quit bad habits

Dying in bed is harmful to both your mind and your body. How can you get rid of this bad habit?

Based on the opinions of the two interviewees, the following suggestions are drawn.

1/Change it to a sofa or desk.

If the situation is not too serious, it is recommended to gradually shorten the time spent in bed. Is it difficult to leave the bed completely without feeling useless? You can try to move the empty space from the bed to other places, such as sofas, desks, etc.

Firstly, it allows the parties to no longer limit their activities to the bed, and secondly, it can retain the close connection between bed and sleep.

Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Ying said, “When you see the protagonists in social media videos doing various things in bed, the easiest way is to move the related things out of the bedroom. You must get up and leave the bed before doing the related things. Once you change from lying down to walking, After a few steps, the ‘qi’ in the body starts to flow, and it is no longer easy to feel like lying down.”

2/Regain basic daily activities

In addition to reducing the time spent lying in bed, it is also important to get your daily life back on track. At least some basic self-care tasks, such as taking a bath, tidying up the bed, brushing your teeth, etc., should be added to your daily routine. Eat three meals in bed. Regular work and rest times and a balanced diet can help manage emotions.

3/Discover good ways to reduce stress

Stress reduction methods vary from person to person. Find a method that suits you and can reduce stress. Don’t rely solely on your bed.

Clinical psychologist Liao Jiamin said, “Frequently share the importance of flow theory with patients. When doing activities you like, such as dancing, ceramics, etc., you should be highly focused on activities that you are confident in and challenging, which is enjoyable. During it, you feel very relaxed, increase your ability to withstand stress, and enhance your sense of well-being, which is also a good way to reduce stress.”

In addition, exercise helps the brain release large amounts of endorphin, a hormone that can produce a pleasant and relaxing effect and help relieve stress.

Mindfulness practice is a very popular stress reduction method in recent years. It allows us to be aware of the current state or focus on a specific object (such as breathing, etc.) without judging or overreacting in the process.

Through these exercises, the brain will become more focused on its own inner world, without zooming in or out, without criticizing the current experience. It will have more space to process different thoughts, and its ability to withstand stress will be improved to some extent.

4/Find professional assistance

If the situation of lying in bed is serious, such as increasing stress, affecting mood, causing insomnia, etc., it is necessary to seek help from doctors, psychologists and other professionals to find out the reasons behind it, whether it is caused by anxiety, depression and other emotional diseases or other Troubled by problems.

Sustained low mobility or ADHD

Insufficient motivation manifests itself as lack of initiative, procrastination, inability to start or complete tasks, lack of motivation and willpower, etc.

Mobility deficits may simply be a mental or emotional state, or they may be part of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or a mood disorder. How to tell the difference?

When we lack motivation or purpose for something, or are even uninterested, our motivation to act is naturally low. When faced with some unfamiliar and unfamiliar tasks, because they don’t know how to plan and implement the tasks, they feel at a loss and don’t know where to start, which slows down the progress.

Or caused by depression and anxiety

Self-confidence, work experience towards goals, and own planning and organizational abilities will also affect your ability to act when facing work and difficulties.

If you find that your lack of mobility persists, you need to consider whether there is a deep-seated problem causing it; this can be an emotional problem or a lack of concentration:

◆Depression: A common mood disorder characterized by depression, loss of interest and motivation.Depression can cause a lack of motivation and willingness to perform daily activities, making a person feel unable to start or complete work

◆Anxiety disorder: It is also a common urban mood disorder, characterized by excessive worry and anxiety. People with anxiety disorder worry about too many things and find it difficult to make decisions. As a result, they become indecisive and have low mobility.Some patients simply avoid certain activities or tasks out of fear that they will not do well

◆Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior, which can lead to lack of mobility and difficulty concentrating and completing tasks. Not everyone is inattentive and hyperactive at the same time.So even if you’re not hyperactive, if you’re struggling with concentration issues, you can still seek help

More than 2 weeks can affect life

If you are a patient with insufficient concentration, you will have the following problems with mobility:

1. Attention is easily distracted:The inability to concentrate makes it difficult to focus on a task or goal, which may make you less effective.

2. Difficult to start tasks:People with insufficient concentration are easily distracted by other things and cannot concentrate on taking action, leading to procrastination and low mobility.

3. Easy to interrupt and give up:When you are unable to stay focused, you are easily distracted by other stimuli or temptations, giving up on tasks or plans, further reducing your ability to act.

4. Difficulty maintaining long-term motivation:Because you are easily distracted or lose interest in your goals, you lack the ability to persist in pursuing your goals.

If you suspect that low mobility is caused by mental problems, you can tell from the following factors:

1. Duration:If you feel low mobility for a long time, lasting more than 2 weeks and affecting your daily life, work or study ability, you may need to consider whether there is a mental problem.

2. Intensity and frequency:The intensity and frequency of reduced mobility are also noteworthy. If the reduced mobility is severe enough to prevent you from starting or completing basic tasks, and it occurs frequently, further exploration into possible psychiatric issues may be warranted.

3. Other symptoms:Pay attention to whether it is accompanied by other psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, sleep problems, changes in appetite, decreased self-esteem, etc. These symptoms may be indicators of mental problems.

4. Social functions:Watch to see if your social functioning is affected. Psychiatric problems may adversely affect the ability to socialize with others, interact with the environment, and participate in activities.

5. Personal history:Review your personal history and whether you have any mental health issues or family history. These factors increase the likelihood of psychiatric problems.

Split tasks to increase focus

To overcome the impact of lack of concentration on your ability to act, consider the following methods:

◆Create a distraction-free environment:Establish an environment that provides distraction-free, focused attention and avoid distracting factors, such as turning off the TV, turning off social media notifications, etc.

◆Make a clear plan and timetable:Break the task into small steps and set a time limit for each step. This will give us a sense of success in completing every small step and give us more motivation to keep going.

◆Use focus techniques:For example, taking a break after working for a period of time or doing concentration training (such as meditation or deep breathing) can help improve concentration and concentration.

◆Develop the habit of concentration:Mindfulness is a habit that can be developed through training and practice. Gradually increase the concentration time and difficulty, and practice consistently to gradually improve your concentration level.

If you have exhausted all methods and are still unable to move well in all aspects of your life, it may be due to emotional or mental health problems, and it is recommended to seek diagnosis from a doctor.

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