Curious about earthing and how it can improve your health and wellbeing? Here’s our list of the top 7 benefits of earthing in a nutshell!
1. Improved Sleep
Our modern fast-paced lifestyle leaves very little time to get the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep daily. As a result, insomnia and sleep disturbances are on a steady rise. Normally, cortisol levels are low at night to help us sleep better and high in the morning to keep us awake and refreshed. Disturbed cortisol levels can keep you awake at night and drowsy through the daytime. However, the good news is that earthing (also called grounding) helps regulate sleep patterns by improving the levels of cortisol, a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. A blinded pilot study conducted by Ober on 60 subjects showed that earthing provides improved sleep, in addition to a number of other health benefits. Researchers Ghaly and Teplitz conducted a pilot study on 12 subjects in 2004 and found that earthing the body at night improves the cortisol levels to induce improved sleep, reduce morning fatigue, and increase daytime energy levels.
2. Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s protective reaction against foreign substances such as allergens, pathogens, and irritants. The immune system sends out anti-inflammatory cells such as phagocytes and neutrophils to destroy these injurious substances. These cells undergo respiratory burst and release potent oxidising agents or free radicals. Free radicals are ions lacking an electron. The free radicals destroy the harmful bacteria or irritants by snatching electrons from them to maintain their neutral charge. This is good. However, sometimes the free radicals don’t stop there. In chronic inflammation, too many free radicals accumulate and begin to attack healthy cells too!
Grounding yourself by connecting to the earth brings in mobile electrons and negative ions from the earth into your body. Since, the free radicals lack an electron; these mobile electrons interact with them to neutralise their effects. Hence, earthing helps reduce inflammation and its consequences. These positive effects of earthing on inflammation have also been verified with medical infrared imaging.
3. Stress reduction
Sometimes it feels like our society is running off the principle of ‘survival of the fittest’. We all face excessive amounts of mental and physical stress from time to time. Sadly, it isn’t always easy or possible to slow down and de-stress. Earthing is likely to help reduce your stress levels significantly. Researchers Chevalier, Mori, and Oschman conducted a pilot study on 58 people (28 earthed and 30 not earthed) and concluded that earthing has a positive effect on the electrical activity of the brain, muscles, autonomic nervous system, and blood circulation to reduce tension and stress.
4. Muscle soreness/recovery
Muscle soreness is a common cause of pain among athletes and individuals with a highly active lifestyle. The fatigued muscles gradually develop inflammation and pain. Generally, athletes and fitness enthusiasts suffer from delayed-onset muscle soreness that sets in 24-48 hours after intense physical activity. The sore muscles take nearly 5-6 days to recover completely with or without treatment. Most treatments are unable to reduce this recovery period, although some do help with the pain. However, a pilot study documented that earthing significantly reduces the pain, soreness, and recovery time of the muscles. In fact, the white blood cells in the grounded subjects of this study with delayed-onset muscle soreness were much lower than in those without grounding.
5. Pain management
Inflammation is a leading cause of pain, mainly because most medical illnesses associated with pain have some underlying inflammation in the affected areas. Overworked muscles and stress are some other common causes of aches and pains. Ober’s study on 60 subjects clearly documented a marked lowering of pain in the subjects after grounding. This is echoed by other studies that also concluded the earthing reduces inflammation, stress, and muscle soreness. This suggest that earthing offers much more than pain management alone.
6. Blood circulation, high blood pressure, and heart disease
Blood carries oxygen around the body. Your heart is constantly pumping through contraction and relaxation of its muscles to bring about this activity. Researchers studying the impact of earthing on the electrodynamics of blood in 10 subjects found that earthing reduces blood viscosity. In simple words, this means that earthing acts as a blood thinner to improve overall circulation and oxygenation around the body.
This is good news for people looking for a natural way to improve their circulation including those with high blood pressure or heart disease. Earthing can also be used as a palliative measure to keep your blood-flowing and heart pumping to prevent heart damage and clot formations as you age. Note, if you are currently taking blood thinning medication, it is essential that you consult with your doctor and ease into earthing under their guidance.
7. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are the heroes in the battle against free radicals, which have been linked to everything from ageing to cancer. So there’s little wonder that so many people today eat foods rich in antioxidants or take a daily supplement containing them. But, there’s another simpler way to gain antioxidants, and it’s right beneath your feet. Yes, the earth’s surface is a potent source of antioxidants. In fact, the earth is the biggest antioxidant there is!
The Earth’s surface has a negative potential and plenty of free electrons that are constantly replenished through the moving wind and water, sunlight, and meteorological events. When you connect your body to the earth’s natural, gentle electrical energy, you flood your body with free electrons which nullify free radicals by neutralising their charge and effects. Earthing is a potent antioxidant that can naturally support your health and wellbeing.
How Do I Get Started with Earthing?
One of the most pleasant ways to soak up the earth’s healing energy is a barefoot stroll on the beach or to relax on the grass in your backyard. Research shows immediate positive physiological changes when you start earthing, with 30 minutes (give or take) needed for symptom relief. Generally speaking, the more time spent regularly grounding, the higher the likelihood of relief from symptoms. That relief can be partial, total, immediate or gradual. It differs from person to person. So, if you’re tackling a health problem, a convenient way to get a good dose of earthing is with an indoor earthing product that you can use while you’re asleep or are sitting at the computer or watching TV. Take a look at our earthing products in our Better Earthing shop.
References
Ober C. Grounding the human body to neutralize bioelectrical stress from static electricity and EMFs. ESD Journal, January 2000.
Ghaly M, Teplitz D. The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2004;10(5):767–776.
Chevalier G, Mori K, Oschman JL. The effect of Earthing (grounding) on human physiology. European Biology and Bioelectromagnetics. 2006;2(1):600–621.
Chevalier G, Sinatra ST, Oschman JL, Delany RM. Grounding the human body reduces blood viscosity—a major factor in cardiovascular disease. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2013;19(2):102-110.
