Grounding, sometimes called earthing, is the process of connecting to the Earth’s electrical energy. This practice is rooted in the theory that the electrical charges from the Earth can have a positive impact on your body, your health, and your mood.
The idea is that when you touch your body to the ground, it dissipates static electricity and extraneous charges that are on you, while at the same time, you receive a charge of energy in the form of free electrons, helping your body synchronize with the natural frequencies of the Earth.
Grounding can involve walking barefoot outside, laying in the grass, running your fingers through the dirt, or using some type of electronic device to ground you to the Earth’s surface.
How Does Grounding Work?
Grounding is based on the idea that your body carries a positive charge that can build up inside of you, while the Earth has a negative charge. By physically connecting with the Earth in some way, some scientists theorize that you are able to discharge your body’s excess energy (positive charge), and therefore potentially see a healing effect in your body.
According to scientists, the modern lifestyle have separated most people from physically connecting with the Earth in this way, and the result of that has been physiological dysfunction and illness. But by finding ways to reconnect with Earth, people are able to promote healing in their bodies.
Benefits of Grounding
Research on grounding is limited and most of the studies are small, but the preliminary results are encouraging. In fact, some studies have shown that grounding may reduces inflammation, stress, and pain. It also may improve sleep and blood flow, and impact vitality.
1. May Improve Mood
However, researchers noted that more research is needed to determine how this intervention might be used in the future.
2. May Boost Quality of Life
3. May Reduce Blood Pressure
What they discovered was that the blood pressure of all the participants had improved by the end of the trial period. In fact, their systolic levels decreased an average of 14.3%.
4. May Improve Heart Health
What the researchers discovered is that grounding reduces blood viscosity and clumping of red blood cells. Consequently, grounding could potentially be one of the easiest and most profound ways to reduce cardiovascular risks.
5. May Promote Muscle Recovery
What they discovered is that the participants reported less pain. And, blood work indicated reduced muscle damage. These results suggest that grounding may have a positive impact on the body’s healing capabilities.
How to Practice Grounding
If you are interested in practicing grounding, there are couple of different options. First, you can practice grounding the traditional way—by being outside and reconnecting with the Earth’s surface.
Outdoor Grounding
If you want to trying grounding the traditional way, all you need to do is go outside and reconnect with the Earth in some way. The key is to maintain direct skin contact. For instance, the easiest is to walk barefoot outside. But you also can lay in the grass or run your hands through loose dirt.
