Brits have been told that a simple daily habit that takes less than five minutes could help them live longer. TikTok user @brightly.elevated has racked up more than 4.2 million views after sharing the effects of doing one exercise every morning.
The habit is jumping up and down on the spot 50 times a day for 100 days straight. Jumping on the spot is a high-impact weight-bearing exercise, meaning your legs and feet support your body weight during the impact of landing. According to the NHS, this type of exercise can help strengthen your muscles, ligaments and joints. As you age, this becomes more important because your bone density begins to decline, increasing the risk of fractures and loss of mobility. The Royal Osteoporosis Society says impact exercise is one of the best types of exercise for your bones, and says even low-level jumps can have a positive effect on bone strength.
Max Rushton, a fitness expert and founder of Training Kit Outside, said: « Jumping is one of the easiest ways for people to build more movement into their routine without the need for expensive equipment or a gym membership.
« People may think that they need to overhaul their lifestyle to get healthier, and that’s often why they don’t get started. Something like this requires less commitment and allows you to get more active. »
Max said that people often overlook their bone health as they get older, and jumping up and down on the spot can keep their bones stronger for longer, adding to life expectancy. It also improves your cardiovascular fitness, circulation and overall health.
After 1 week of jumping up and down, @brightly.elevated reported that their legs felt more rested at night than restless, they woke up without the tingling in their feet, and they actually wanted to get out of bed in the morning.
Max said: « This isn’t a miracle fix, but if you go from doing nothing to doing 5 minutes of jumping on the spot every day over time, these small actions will have a massive impact on your health. »
For beginners, Max recommends starting small and building up slowly. A few minutes a day is enough to begin with, especially for people who are not used to regular exercise.
« The goal here is to get moving and make it part of your day. If you can’t do the full 50 jumps, then do as many as you can and slowly build up to that, » said Max.
While this simple exercise can help, high-impact exercise isn’t for everyone. If you have osteoporosis, previous fractures or joint problems, you may need to stick to lower-impact options or get medical advice before starting.
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