Though the term "bed rotting" might be new, the action behind it has been around for a very long time. We used to call it being a "couch potato," which, in my opinion, is a much nicer term than bed rotting. Still, many people use bed rotting as a way of turning off their minds and relaxing, escaping the demands of the world. CANVA CANVA loading...My Couch Potato EraI can assure you that I did plenty of bed rotting in my early 20s. One study found that relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, relaxation imagery, autogenic training, and applied relaxation were highly effective in treating anxiety, especially in younger people.