Why You Should Ground Yourself Every Day
Have you walked past someone walking barefoot in the park and remarked about how happy and relaxed they looked?
Does digging your feet into sand or grass immediately make you feel at ease?
As it turns out, getting in touch with the earth is one of the most profound things you can do for your health.
In health and wellness circles, it's called grounding.
What is Grounding?
Grounding – also known as earthing – is the practice of physically connecting to the earth. It involves getting your bare feet and hands in the grass, dirt, sand, or water – or making physical contact between the ground and any part of your body.
So, why is grounding necessary?
The earth's surface has a negative charge – it is an abundant source of free electrons. When you touch the ground directly, it sends electrons to your body to neutralize unstable free radicals and quell inflammation1.
The ground equalizes and stabilizes energy, which creates profound physiological changes.
Our ancestors walked barefoot for most of history. They were well and truly grounded. Only relatively recently – within a few hundred years – have we lost our connection to the earth.
Could this be why stress, anxiety, inflammation, and chronic illness have become so rampant?
The Many Health Benefits of Grounding
When you think of being grounded, what comes to mind? Chances are you think of being centred and calm, with a sense of balance between mind and body.
That's exactly what happens when you ground yourself.
These are some of the science-backed benefits of grounding regularly:
- Better sleep2
- Less chronic pain3
- Lower inflammatory markers4
- Greater exercise recovery5
- Improved mood and greater feelings of well-being6
Making grounding a part of your daily routine can help you to reap all these benefits and more.
4 Simple Ways to Get Grounded
Nowadays, we spend our time insulated from the earth – inside our homes and cars or sitting in tall office buildings and aeroplanes.
Plus, we bombard ourselves with positive electrons from pollution, digital devices, wifi, and cell towers.
It's vital to get back in touch with the earth and its healing properties.
Here are four easy ways you can do just that:
1. Take off Your Shoes and Get Outside
One of the most effective ways to ground yourself is to be barefoot on grass, soil, stones, or sand. Even concrete is an option.
Take your shoes off and walk, sit, lie, or do some stretches on the ground – whatever works for you. If weather permits, do this for at least 30 minutes per day. You will start noticing your sleep and general well-being improve.
However, surfaces made of paving, wood, or plastic do not have the same effect.
2. Grow Something
Starting a garden is a fun and relaxing hobby that allows you to get your bare hands into the ground.
It doesn't matter whether you have a big flower bed, a small veggie patch, or a planter box on the balcony. Growing flowers, herbs, or veggies is a great way to connect to the earth and practice grounding.
3. Get into a Body of Water
As a conductor of electricity, water is a fantastic vehicle to connect to the earth’s energy potential. After all, your body is roughly 60-70% water – it is your nature.
Swimming or paddling in the sea or a lake, river, or dam is a fantastic grounding practice. Even better if you can feel sand, stones, or mud beneath your feet!
4. Use a Grounding Mat
There are some amazing inventions in the health and wellness space – and grounding equipment is one of them.
Carbon grounding mats, sheets, and blankets make it easy to stay connected to free-flowing electrons from the comfort of your home. They're a great option for people who live and work in high-rise buildings.
Earthing mats are also ideal if you have a disability or illness that impacts your capacity to get outdoors regularly.
Grounding Is the Ultimate Wellness "Biohack"
Grounding is a powerful practice that can transform your mental and physical well-being – and it's completely free.
So, get outdoors whenever possible and kick off your shoes! As a bonus, you get the benefits of regular sun exposure and fresh air.
However, if you live in the concrete jungle without easy access to parks or beaches, you need to neutralise free radicals in other ways. We suggest supplementing daily with bioavailable antioxidants like our liposomal vitamin C and glutathione.
Resources
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18047442/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15650465/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265077/
- https://www.dovepress.com/the-effects-of-grounding-earthing-on-inflammation-the-immune-response--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JIR
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20192911/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30448083/