If you think that attaching metal strips to your bed and running a wire connecting it to a metal rod outside your house is a good idea, you might be in agreement with one woman who showed this ambitious home project to the world.
But, if you think it’s a bad idea, rest assured there’s a whole TikTok comments page of people who share your opinion.
The TikTok video showing Minnesota-based creator @mommagoes “grounding her bed” has more than 4.3 million views in the days since going up on the platform Wednesday, and for good reason. It walks viewers through a journey that led commenters to a range of amazed reactions.
“Have you ever heard of grounding your bed?” she begins, with the camera showing mattresses with strips of metal attached to the fitted sheets. “It’s something my mom sent me on TikTok.”
“She had [it] in mind for my husband, who has a lot of disabilities and is often in pain.” As the narration is happening, the point of view switches to the side of the house, where a wire is being lowered to meet a giant copper rod in rocks covering the ground.
@mommagoes Have you done this? Did it help with anything? Cant wait to see if it makes a difference! #bedgrounding #groundyourbed #groundyourself #grounding #makelifebetter #tryingitout #hopeithelps #workingonus #ourlife ♬ Good Vibes (Instrumental) – Ellen Once Again
“Honestly, I haven’t done any research and I really don’t know much about it,” she continues, as her son digs through the rocks and she and her son take turns pounding the rod into the earth. “Other than I know grounding is a good thing.”
“And I have no idea if this is going to help my husband or not,” she says, using a knife as a flat-head screwdriver to attach a metal piece to the copper rod, “but I figured it’s worth a shot,” she says, cramming the exposed end of the wire into the metal.
“So my mom stopped over and surprised me with all the materials we need, and now both of our beds are grounded.”
The creator then said in an accompanying comment, “Have you done this? Did it help with anything? Cant wait to see if it makes a difference!”
Commenters came in to dunk on the creator.
“I didn’t do any research but I connected a bunch of wires to my bed and a metal pole outside my window,” cracked one.
“Please update us after the next storm,” one requested, leading another to respond, “There probably won’t be anyone to do the update.”
Another commenter remarked, “You literally did the opposite of grounding.”
A brotherhood (possibly international) of electrical workers also checked in with their expert opinions on whether you should attach a wire to metal on your bed and a metal contraption outside your house.
“I’m an electrician and seeing this just makes my brain hurt,” one remarked.
Another said, “As an electrician. I promise your bed doesn’t need to be grounded.”
And yet another said simply, “As an electrician, please do not do this.”
In addition to the electrocution-related drawbacks that many considered, several pointed out that copper is an item that thieves delight in, and there’s no guarantee a copper rod next to your house will stay there.
Amazon sells a number of grounding mats for beds, and the practice of grounding does have its proponents. A 2021 Healthline article quoted Dr. Debra Rose Wilson, a holistic healthcare practitioner, who explained,
A grounding mat is meant to replace the direct contact with the earth that we would get if we walked barefoot. In current Western culture, we seldom walk barefoot outside.
The earth’s surface has a negative electric charge, and when it comes in contact with human tissue, there is an equalization. The body can take on extra electrons and build up a static electric charge. This is called the Earthing hypothesis.
A grounding mat mimics the electric current of the earth and allows a person to bring the experience into a home or office. Most of the biochemical reactions in the body involve electron transfer.
That said, this isn’t for everyone. There is the potential danger of drawing current from other sources, so be aware of unground electrical sources near you. This could cause a potentially dangerous electrical shock.
And even if this video is a classic example of “no, not that way,” there’s perhaps still a debate to be had on the practice—and commenters were willing to have it alongside the video.
One skeptic quipped, “It works better if you fashion that foil tape into a hat.”
But at least one person came to the creator’s defense, saying, “Grounding is proven helpful to circulation. By science. Stop thinking you know everything.”
And it didn’t just make the rounds on TikTok. The video got more than 9.6 million views on Twitter; the person who posted it simply said, “God, I love TikTok.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok comment.