When it comes to relaxing, nothing beats lying in bed. It only gets better if you have a some snacks nearby. Oh, and your journal. A few books and a cup of tea wouldn’t hurt either. And while you’re at it, you might as well grab your iPad and a charger, too.
On TikTok, creator @linneaphm has been sharing her “bedtime stacking” routine, and it’s all about bringing these must-haves to bed. “This is my bedtime stack,” she said in a Feb. 9 clip while holding a pile of books, journals, skin care, and snacks. In an effort to relax, she popped on eye patches, wrote down her thoughts, sipped tea, and played a few games on her iPad. The best part? Everything she needed was always within reach.
In another clip, Linnea made a different stack to enjoy on a Friday night in. This pile included a lip mask, hand cream, book, puzzle game, water, snacks, neck massager, and the remote control to her TV. “The only plans I have is to go through this stack at the same spot for as long as I can,” she said.
In her comments, someone wrote, “I do this and I didn't realize other people did it. and it has A NAME. love it. big fan of a bedtime stack.” Someone else said, “you just made me realize i do a bed stack every night and it’s my favorite part of my day. it’s how i learned to fully relax.” Here’s what to know about this cozy trend.
What Is Bedtime Stacking?
Bedtime stacking is when you go to bed early with the goal of lingering there for as long as possible. It could be a way to wind down before sleep, but it’s also something you can do whenever you need to rest.
The stack is key. It’s a strategic pile of items that will keep you busy, and also ensure you won’t need to get up for any reason whatsoever. It can be made up of things you love or want to enjoy, like a book you’ve been meaning to read, a fave notebook, snacks, as well as the things you typically end up needing. Think chargers, water, remotes, etc.
While you might think this trend sounds a lot like bed rotting, bedtime stacking has a much more purposeful slant. “The goal is not to rot. The goal is to do as much as you can at the same spot,” @linneaphm went on to say. “We’re doing things, we’re learning things, and we’re getting inspired.” Instead of scrolling, sleeping, and staring, you’re awake and enjoying hobbies, games, magazines, and more.
On the app, @amanda.theresa said she sets up her stack before taking a pre-bed shower. “When I come out of the shower this is waiting for me on my bed and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, who did this?’ And then I’m like, ‘Wait, me.’”
Her stack included drinks, journals, chargers, a Kindle, the fan remote, a weighted Nodpod eye mask, hand cream, celery stuffed with peanut butter, and a pair of socks that she planned to use to curl her hair.
It was everything she could possibly need for a cozy moment in bed. “The goal is to not have to move for a little bit, OK?”
While the concept is new and inspiring to many, the bedtime stack is something a lot of people have been doing naturally, like @jaelynnsdiary_ who said she always gathers up her essentials every night before bed.
For her, this routine is about winding down for the night and not needing to get back out of bed. “It’s a ritual at this point,” she said in a March 21 clip. In her comments, more people were excited to learn this habit is a “thing.” One commenter wrote, “I’ve been bedtime stacking this whole time and didn’t even know lol.”
In a March 24 post, creator @hallebloom also shared an excellent bedtime stack, and shared just how beneficial they can be. “I didn’t know there was a name for my favorite activity of sitting in bed and doing various things,” she wrote in her caption.
Hers included a lot of the usuals, as well as a gua sha tool, face oil, and her laptop. “I’m working on a Powerpoint for my friends because we’re having a Powerpoint night.” Bedtime stacking felt like the perfect moment to get it done.
What Makes It Special
The curation and the planning are two things that set the bedtime stack apart from a typical evening routine. It isn’t just about partaking in your usual pre-bed usuals, like reading or winding down with a face mask on. It’s about deeply luxuriating in a single locale.
To keep your stack organized, set it in a pile on your bedside table, organize it on a tray, or store it in a house purse. Once you’re comfy, play around with it all until you start to get tired, then pop in your retainer and fall asleep.
If you want, you can set up shop on the couch instead, or do something that you wouldn’t normally do when you’re trying to sleep, like answering emails or finishing a project. Once you feel rejuvenated, you can go on with your day.
Bedtime stacking feels right on a Friday night when you want to unwind, on a Saturday morning when you’re sleepy, and it also works for weeknights when you want to upgrade your bedtime routine. Before you lie down, make a stack. Only then will you truly be able to relax.
