Benefits of taking a Bedcation

The year has just started and chances are you’re already thinking “I know I’m just back but already I need a break. I thought 2025 was going to be the year to Relax, Recharge, Reset!….”

As Mattress Online’s Relationship Expert - here’s my gift to you…

Unpack your bags, put away your credit cards, don’t worry about your bikini-bod or who is going to walk the dog and water the plants - because you’re about to go on your first BEDCATION - a one day holiday, at home, in the comfort of your own bed.

Here’s when you do it, why you do it, and how you do it. Follow the general guidelines, and tailor it to whatever tickles your fancy -  I can guarantee that a one day bedcation is often at least as good as a weekend at a fancy spa. Also it doesn’t involve wads of cash, queuing at the airport or arguing with your other half about Venice or Porto Banus, so win-win all-round.

When to take a bedcation

Quite simply, whenever you like - within reason of course. Like many of the enjoyable things in life if you do too much of it or too often then it loses its magic.

When I was young and partying all hours I used to take one bedcation a month. Now that I am somewhat more sedate and inclined to watch Gardener’s Question Time over Love Island;  I find one bedcation every three months keeps me sorted.

Only you will know how much you need it - but indulging in this could really help in the same way that a regular vacation helps. Just easier, cheaper and less pfaffing about.

I tend to take my bedcations on a Sunday - but the day you choose will be a reflection on your relationship with your employer, childcare or whatever obligations you may have. (By the way…even if post-Covid you now have flexible working hours, or don’t work outside the home at all, that doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from a bedcation!).

Many couples I know will give each other “Bedcation Bonus Vouchers” which are always greatly appreciated. Often accompanied by a bottle of prosecco and an UberEats coupon; great for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Anniversaries or anything else you might want to celebrate.

Oh, and don’t forget that men need bedcations as well, or you can give them to yourself - I do!

Why to take a bedcation :

Life is wonderful in many ways but it can also be stressful. These days every which direction you face there is a chance there is something that needs to be dealt with, handled or changed, just staring you in the face. Oft times you just don’t have the strength to deal with it.

I discovered many years ago that living from vacation to vacation was not sustainable. When bedcations and the idea of ‘going to bed for just the one day’ entered my life I quickly realised just how powerful this unusual but highly effective practice is.

Often taking one day off to take stock and regroup and just b-r-e-a-t-h-e would do the trick - and put me back on track faster than waiting months till I had the time, the money or the bikini-bod to head off to Gatwick.

How to take a bedcation :

Like your regular bog-standard vacation a bedcation does require a certain amount of pre-planning. Successful non-regulated relaxing is easy but here are a few tips to help enhance the experience.

• For many of us the idea of ‘just doing nothing’ doesn’t work. It is like the types of meditation that say ‘sit in the corner, close your eyes and think of nothing’. I meditate every morning but if my meditation was about sitting in the corner and trying to think of nothing I would be climbing the walls in about 30 seconds
• A bedcation loosely translates to ‘a day in bed’. Depending on your personality what that means will be determined by you
• Think about 5 things that you might like to do on your bedcation . On the actual day you might end up doing all of them, three of them or absolutely none of them
• If you have never knitted anything in your life then deciding that you are going to learn to knit a jumper on your bedcation is probably not the way to go - don’t make it too challenging
• If you are a DIY enthusiast then bringing a piece of IKEA flatpack and an allen-key on your bedcation might not be the way to go either. The Billy bookcase will not bring you any peace of mind
• My personal favourite is bingewatching. I will save up a week’s worth of my favourite soap, or a Netflix film that I have been dying to see that no one else is interested in. Podcasts are also brilliant
• Sometime I’ll make a list of people I have needed to catch up with and will take the laptop into bed with me and message them. However, only put that one on your list if you are disciplined enough to stay away from work emails or endless scrolling - what would be the point of that? A pile of magazines, a book - remember them?
• I also usually prepare a picnic of sorts. It doesn’t have to come into the bed with me but it is really important that you keep your interaction with the rest of the house to a bare minimum, even if you live alone.
• “I’ll just put on a load of washing’, ‘Let me quickly run to the shops’, ‘I’ll do a bit of ironing to give me a head start on tomorrow’s day’ - Would you fly back from Rome in the middle of your vacation to mow the lawn? No, I didn’t think so.

A word to the wise:  ‘I’m so tired I am probably just going to sleep all day’  is the bedcation equivalent of ‘I’m stressed so I’ll just sit in the corner and meditate by thinking of nothing’. You might find that coming with nothing to do might end up being more stressful than bringing something and not doing it at all.

Some of you may feel that the idea of taking a bedcation can’t or won’t fit into your lifestyle; you like the idea but it just isn’t possible for you. Others may feel it’s too small an action and won’t touch the sides of the stresses you are dealing with.

How about you just trust me; try it and then let me know how it works for you. If the first time doesn’t get the results you were hoping for then get in touch and together we will tweak it until we get it right.

Your peace of mind is way too precious not to take care of it. Treat yourself to a bedcation - it’s worth it!

…Oh and sometimes I wear costumes, but that is totally up to you if you’re willing to do swimsuit, straw hat and sunglasses indoors (I am!) - it’s your choice!