Health experts are slamming a new TikTok craze flooding the social media app, warning users that this trend could lead to “electrocution and death.”
Many go to TikTok to share new life hacks. Whether it be meal-prepping ideas or clothing hacks, the social media platform is often the go-to place to discuss these new lifestyle trends.
The latest of these to go viral on TikTok is centered around grounding sheets, a product that many claim is beneficial for sleep.
As stated on the website of the retail store Be Grounded, these items are “specially designed products that help you connect with the Earth without having to go outside.”
These sheets and mats use electric currents to help emulate the feeling of “grounding” outside on the front lawn or in nature. They must be plugged into an electrical outlet to work.
Influencers across TikTok have been gushing about the product, some even claiming that these sheets have helped them with “healing” and that they help them “directly connect to mother nature.”
However, health experts are warning TikTok users that these grounding sheets and mats may not be all they are made out to be and possess some extreme side effects.
When speaking to Mirror, sleep expert Adeel UL-Haq from Bunk Beds shared his concerns over this growing trend, mainly citing how they increase the risk of electrocution within one’s home.
“Because they’re connected to your electrical system, if lightning strikes near your home, there’s a risk of electrocution.”
UL-Haq added, “If you’ve ever seen a house hit by lightning, you’d notice the ground wire burned along its path, and by using these products, you could be in that path. Even though the chance of a lightning strike is low, the risk of using these items isn’t worth it.”
The sleep expert later encouraged individuals who struggle with maintaining healthy sleep patterns and habits to “get into the habit of going to bed and getting up at fixed times, including the weekend.”