The touch of the soft sheets, the soft pillow, the firm but enveloping mattress, the warmth, the peace, the silence… these are usually… The attributes that our bed offers usThat shelter we use to sleep every day. Rest between 8 and 6 hours is the minimum that we should do as adults, and above all, it should be good rest.
This means that we sleep deeply, without waking up from time to time, or without waking up feeling that we did not sleep much. the Good physical and mental health It is he who will mainly determine whether this will happen or not.
But, when returning to bed, something that usually happens for many people is the need to stay in bed as soon as we wake up, something they call it on TikTok “Herkle-duckling” It comes from an old Scottish phrase meaning to spend free time awake in bed.
Why do we like to stay in bed after waking up?
This practice seems to be more universal than we might think, but why? According to a sleep psychologist at Manhattan Group Therapy Group and associate professor of psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Eleanor McGlincheystay in bed as soon as we wake up They are attractive because we crave calm and independence. The way we “get around” in the morning becomes time we invest in ourselves before we have to face the day's responsibilities.
But, like almost anything, this behavior can be very bad. In principle, those who perform “hurkle-dukling” do it just to have a good time for themselves, but, If we don't set boundaries, we can turn that time into another moment of stress.. This could happen, for example, if the first thing we do when we wake up is stay in bed and watch the work emails that are sent to us from day to day.
The same thing will happen if we stay in bed just to check all the notifications that have arrived on our cell phone since we went to bed until that moment, or if we enter social networks and enter into “infinite scrolling” which only leads to… It makes us waste time It only contributes to the saturation of our brain and eyes.
The key: consciously choosing actions
“For some people, picking up the phone, checking email or watching the news while in bed causes more stress. So Now you are lying in bed and you feel even worse“Given this, he suggests planning ahead how much time we'll spend awake in bed,” Dr. McGlinchey tells The New York Times.
“I tell people to do what they want on purpose. Don't be at the mercy of notifications that arrive overnight. “Be intentional over time,” the psychologist encourages To realize why we stay in bed longer Once we wake up, aiming for it to be something positive for us. Therefore, everything will depend on choosing what does not cause us discomfort or stress. For example, if replying to a message from bed isn't bad for you and doesn't make you feel anxious or stressed by getting into a work dynamic, then nothing will happen if you keep doing it.
“I tell people to do what they want on purpose. Don't be at the mercy of notifications that arrive overnight. Be intentional with time »
Sleep psychologist at Manhattan Group Therapy Group and associate professor of psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University
“It's important to have a say in how the day starts, especially for people who, once they get out of bed, are on call as caregivers,” McGlinchey says, referring specifically to parents who have to care for their children. Or for those who live with someone dependent on them.
How long can we stay in bed after waking up?
In principle, there is no exact or magic number for implementing this practice that so many people love. But if this is something we do every day, We should not exceed 15 or 30 minutesAs stated by Dr. Marjorie Soltis, a sleep medicine specialist and assistant professor of neurology at Duke University School of Medicine. “If you wake up and feel good and it's part of your routine, there's no need to stop. “But I think 30 minutes is a good threshold.”
Therefore, those who can stay in bed without work or family pressures, or who need extra time in bed for health reasons, can allow themselves to continue doing so without feeling guilty, according to experts. Naturally, we should set those time limits so that we stay in bed as soon as we wake up Do not become a harmful practice.
Many people with depressive or anxious tendencies can confuse this procedure with false well-being and lead them to stay in bed almost all day, which can lead to feeling more tired, unable to do anything and depressed. We must also be careful and not confuse it with allowing ourselves to stay in bed for a few hours every now and then. Because we feel bad and we need itAlways in moderation. As Eleanor McGlinchey put it: “If you want to stay in bed during the day because you feel tired, do it and don't feel bad about it.”
