Want to relax indoors but feel FOMO about going out? You may have ‘Sunshine Guilt’

As new viral trends like “bed rotting” — lounging indefinitely in bed — and “hurkle-durkling,” which glorifies savouring a slow morning, sweep across social media, a curious phenomenon called "sunshine guilt" is emerging. This sense of guilt plagues individuals who, rather than seizing a bright, clear day outdoors, choose to stay inside, sparking a mix of remorse and pressure from societal expectations.

Sunshine guilt can be described as the feeling of remorse one gets when they stay inside on a nice day, experts say. The feeling can become even stronger when one believes that everyone else is out enjoying the sunshine. Social media is amplifying this sentiment, as creators share their experience with sunshine guilt.

“It is an abnormally beautiful day outside, but I’m tired. So now I feel this pressure to go outside and go for a walk and enjoy the weather while it lasts,” one TikToker from the US said. “I can’t enjoy myself indoors now because the whole time I’m thinking that I should be outside. So basically my day is ruined.”

Many users tied their feelings to the “fear of missing out” (FOMO), underscoring how social expectations to embrace sunny days intensify these feelings of guilt.