Grounding may sound like something your parents did to you when you misbehaved as a teenager, but today, it's a simple way of improving your physical and emotional health through connection with the earth. If that sounds hokey to you, you're not alone, but take a deeper look before you dismiss it.
Understanding Grounding
Grounding, also known as "earthing," simply means connecting to the earth, usually in the form of direct contact with soil, grass, or even trees.
The earth's surface has an endless supply of free electrons (also known as antioxidants), which can connect with and neutralize the free radicals in our bodies.
In history, people were naturally grounded. They walked barefoot, worked in nature, and slept closer to the ground and outdoors on materials that didn't act as barriers.
Today, most people have very little contact with the earth. They spend the majority of time indoors. When outside, they wear shoes, and they are often on man-made surfaces like concrete or asphalt.
As a result, they benefit less from the earth's natural antioxidants.
Benefits of Grounding
Grounding has positive effects on both physical and mental health, including:
- better sleep
- reduced inflammation
- faster healing
- less pain
- normalized cortisol
- lower stress levels
- reduced blood viscosity
How to Practice Grounding
As mentioned, you can ground by walking or standing barefoot on dirt or grass. Sitting or lying on the natural ground or holding your hands to a tree also work.
Since these actions are not always practical due to schedules or weather, grounding sheets or mats are an alternative that you can benefit from inside your home. These items typically have very thin silver wires woven through the fabric, which can be grounded by plugging them in to the ground of an electrical socket. That may sound scary, but remember, it's the ground, and there is no electrical current in it.
My Experience
I have long known that grounding and nature have a profound positive effect on my mental health. I really struggle in the winter since I live in a northern climate that is below freezing and covered with snow for at least 1/3 of the year. It's always a huge relief to me the first days I can go outside barefoot and even better when I can work under my willow tree with my feet in the grass.
I've been using a grounding sheet for about six weeks now. It's difficult to quantify the changes, but I know I have had less stress and anxiety and better quality sleep since using the sheet.
If you're sciency and want all the info about grounding, here is a good article.
And if you'd like to try grounding yourself, these are the sheets I have, which also come with a grounding mat, so you can extend your benefit to daytime as well.
*This site may contain affiliate links, which means you pay the usual price, but a portion of it goes to me and supports my family and small business. I appreciate it and will only ever affiliate for products that I use and love.*
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