Grounding, or “earthing,” refers to the discovery that our bodily contact with the Earth’s natural electric charge generates general wellbeing. It reduces inflammation and pain, improves blood flow, energy and sleep (and thereby speeding up wound healing), stabilizes our heart rate, calms our nervous system, and increases our white blood cell count.
In recent times, rubber-soled shoes have separated us from contact with the electricity of the earth, an energy source essential for optimal health. When humans walked barefoot, they absorbed the free electrons which are continually bouncing off of it. Scientists have discovered that disconnecting ourselves from this source of energy (via shoes, buildings, asphalt, tires, etc.) has been wreaking havoc on our health. Recent research explains why we should be “grounding” ourselves from time to time by sitting, lying or walking barefoot on the soil.
A 2015 study used photographic images of wound healing along with infrared medical imaging to show incredible reductions in inflammation as a result of earthing.
“Our main hypothesis is that connecting the body to the Earth enables free electrons from the Earth’s surface to spread over and into the body, where they can have antioxidant effects. Specifically, we suggest that mobile electrons create an antioxidant microenvironment around the injury repair field, slowing or preventing reactive oxygen species delivered by the oxidative burst from causing ‘collateral damage’ to healthy tissue, and preventing or reducing the formation of the so-called ‘inflammatory barricade.'”
“Grounding appears to improve sleep, normalize the day–night cortisol rhythm, reduce pain, reduce stress, shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic toward parasympathetic activation, increase heart rate variability, speed wound healing, and reduce blood viscosity.”
Their conclusion? “The living matrix, the very fabric of the body, appears to serve as one of our primary antioxidant defense systems. It is a system requiring occasional recharging by conductive contact with the earth’s surface–the ‘battery’ for all planetary life–to be optimally effective.”
Additional Resources
Be Grounded UK
Earthing Institute
Grounded
Research
The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress | M. Ghaly and D. Teplitz (2004)
Can electrons act as antioxidants? A review and commentary (Abstract) | J. Oschman (2007)
Classification of EEG signal for body earthing application | N. Rahman, M. Mustafa, R. Samad, N. Abdullah, N. Sulaiman and D. Pebrianti (2018)
Differences in blood urea and creatinine concentrations in earthed and unearthed subjects during cycling exercise and recovery | P. Sokal, Z. Jastrzebski, E. Jaskulska, K. Sokal, M. Jastrzebska, T. Radziminski, R. Dargiewicz and P. Zielinski (2013)
Earthing (grounding) the human body reduces blood viscosity – A major factor in cardiovascular disease | G. Chevalier, S.T. Sinatra, J. Oschman and R. Delany (2013)
Earthing: Health implications of reconnecting the human body to the earth’s surface electrons | G. Chevalier, S.T. Sinatra, J. Oschman, K. Sokal and P. Sokal (2012)
Earthing the human body influences physiologic processes | K. Sokal and P. Sokal (2011)
Earthing the human organism influences bioelectrical processes | K. Sokal and P. Sokal (2012)
The effect of earthing (grounding) on human physiology | G. Chevalier, K. Mori and J. Oschman (2005)
The effect of grounding the human body on mood (Abstract) | G. Chevalier (2015)
The effectiveness of a conductive patch and a conductive bed pad in reducing induced human body voltage via the application of earth ground | R. Applewhite (2004)
Effectiveness of grounded sleeping on recovery after intensive eccentric muscle loading | E. Muller, P. Proller, F. Ferreira-Briza, L. Aglas and T. Stoggl (2019)
Effects of grounding on body voltage and current in the presence of electromagnetic fields | R. Brown (2016)
The effects of grounding (earthing) on bodyworkers’ pain and overall quality of life: A randomized controlled trial | G. Chevalier, S. Patel, L. Weiss, D. Chopra and P. Mills (2019)
The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases | J. Oschman, G. Chevalier and R. Brown (2015)
Effects of grounding (earthing) on massage therapists: An exploratory study | G. Chevalier, S. Patel, L. Weiss, C. Pruitt, B. Henry, D. Chopra and P. Mills (2018)
The effects of grounding on meditation quality: A preliminary study report (Abstract) | G. Chevalier
Electrical grounding improves vagal tone in preterm infants | R. Passi, K. Doheny, Y. Gordin, H. Hinssen and C. Palmer (2017)
Emotional stress, heart rate variability, grounding, and improved autonomic tone: Clinical applications | G. Chevalier and S.T. Sinatra (2011)
An experimental study on immediate effect of direct barefoot contact with earth on prehypertension | S. Teli, S. Velou, L. Paramasivam and D. Divya (2015)
Grounding after moderate eccentric contractions reduces muscle damage | R. Brown, G. Chevalier and M. Hill (2015)
Grounding the body improves sleep quality in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease: A pilot study | C. Lin, S. Tseng, Y. Chuang, C. Kuo and N. Chen (2022)
Grounding (earthing) as related to electromagnetic hygiene: An integrative review | I. Jamieson (2023)
Grounding the human body improves facial blood flow regulation: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study (Abstract) | G. Chevalier (2014)
Grounding patients with hypertension improves blood pressure: A case history series study | H. Elkin and A. Winter (2018)
Grounding: The universal anti-inflammatory remedy | S. Sinatra, D. Sinatra and G. Chevalier (2023)
Health effects of alkaline diet and water, reduction of digestive-tract bacterial load, and earthing | H. Mousa (2016)
Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations | W. Menigoz, T. Latz, R. Ely, C. Kamei, G. Melvin and D. Sinatra (2020)
The neuromodulative role of earthing (Abstract) | P. Sokal and K. Sokal (2011)
One-hour contact with the earth’s surface (grounding) improves inflammation and blood flow – A randomized, double-blind, pilot study (Abstract) | G. Chevalier, G. Melvin and T. Barsotti (2015)
Prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection by earthing | H. Mousa (2022)
Additional Research | Be Grounded
Additional Research | Earthing Institute
Learn More
20 Benefits To Earthing | Get Healthy And Grounded
20 Medical Thermography Case Studies | Ultimate Longevity
Earthing: A Technique to Help Ground Your Body | Very Well Mind
Grounding: Exploring Earthing Science And The Benefits Behind It | Healthline
