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A new wellness hack is bouncing across TikTok, quite literally. The trend, popularized by creator Kathryn Smith in a viral video, encourages viewers to start their day by hopping out of bed and jumping 50 times.
While it might sound simple or even silly, the practice has resonated with millions, sparking conversation about how small bursts of movement can jumpstart energy and mood.
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“I am a lazy person by nature. I always have been. I’m never gonna do something that I don’t want to do,” Smith says at the start of her viral clip.
“How I’ve gotten to the point I am right now has been very, very, very baby steps. So, the first thing is morning jumping…. What I do when I get out of bed, my feet touch the ground, I jump 50 times.”
Smith explains that she believes the practice is effective because of how quickly it gets oxygen to your brain.
“How do you get oxygen to your brain?” she asks. “Increase your blood flow. How do you increase your blood? Increase your heart rate. Jump up and down.”
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She adds that the movement may help stimulate body temperature and circulation after sleep. “Immediately after being horizontal for hopefully at least eight hours, it takes what? Less than a minute. Get up and jump.”
The creator also links the habit to longer-term health benefits. “If you have the ability to jump, you should be doing that every single day. It’s also good for your bone density. I could go on and on, but if you have the ability to jump, you should do it every day because one day you may not be able to do that.”
Maura MacDonald, a medical education specialist of sports nutrition at Thorne, a wellness and fitness service, told Fox News Digital that the popularity of Smith’s approach makes sense.
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“The benefits of jumping in the morning are going to be similar to any other form of morning movement, it’s just going to feel a lot more accessible,” she explained.
“It’s a lot easier to get out of bed and jump 50 times, rather than to lace up your sneakers and head out for a run or go to the gym and deadlift.”
She noted that the routine’s success lies in its accessibility.
“This could be working for people because it is an easy, accessible, and low-effort way to get in morning movement, when maybe they might skip a morning workout because there are other barriers in place, like getting to a gym class or constraints of exercising outside where they live,” she said.
MacDonald also emphasized that the practice isn’t limited to the morning.
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“Someone can incorporate this into their routine virtually any time that works for them. Movement is movement, and typically speaking, movement is good for us, and we usually feel better after exercise as it releases endorphins.”
Still, she recommends caution for those with existing health concerns, citing that, for the average, healthy person, jumping in the morning can be a great form of movement if it is something that you enjoy.
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“If you have any injuries or medical conditions, check with your health-care provider before beginning a new exercise regimen.”
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