Grounding Techniques: Connecting With Nature for Better Health

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Grounding, also called earthing, is a technique some people believe connects their physical bodies to the Earth's electrical energy.¹ Some scientists theorize that free electrons transfer from the Earth to the human body during grounding.²

Some believe this electrical conduction to have physical effects like pain reduction, improved immune response, and lowered inflammation.¹ However, there is little research to support these claims, and what exists is mostly low-quality.

Grounding Techniques

There are multiple ways to perform grounding—making direct skin contact with the surface of the earth (grass, sand, soil, or water). Grounding methods include:

• Walking barefoot outdoors on grass, sand, or soil
• Standing in humid soil or sand with bare feet
• Gardening or simply pressing your bare hands into grass, soil, or water
• Sitting with your bare feet positioned flat on the ground
• Lying flat on grass, sand, or soil with your back, legs, or arms bare
• Submerging yourself in a natural body of water, such as a pond, river, lake, or ocean

However, in modern Western society, people often don't want or have opportunities to ground, other than at the beach. As a solution, grounding products have been developed to provide the same electrical conduction as outdoor grounding. These include specialized:¹

• Mats
• Wrist or ankle bands
• Sheets
• Adhesive patches
• Footwear

To work, these tools are typically connected to the earth by a cord attached to a grounded electrical wall outlet or a rod pressed directly into the soil outside.

Grounding Indoors

You can practice grounding indoors with specialized tools. Unlike walking barefoot, most (but not all) have associated costs. However, these options can make a routine grounding practice more accessible and convenient; they can be worn inside shoes, on the ankles or wrists during the day, or slept on at night.

Benefits

Traditional Chinese medicine, Aboriginal cultures, and Indigenous communities have utilized the health benefits of grounding for thousands of years.

During the 1800s, well-known German scientists began proposing walking barefoot for health benefits.³ Today, examples of grounding can be found across TikTok, YouTube, and other popular forms of social media.

Beyond legend and anecdotal evidence, a growing body of research supports and explores the physiological effects and possible health benefits of grounding.

Some health benefits that have been studied include:^2,4

• Improved mood^5,6
• Increased heart rate variability
• Improved blood flow
• Improved immune system function (particularly the concentrations of white blood cells and cytokines)⁷
• Reduced post-exertion muscle soreness
• Reduced pain
• Improved sleep quality (deeper and more restorative sleep)
• Boosted metabolic rate
• Reduced inflammation
• Reduced autoimmune signaling
• Disease prevention (particularly inflammatory and autoimmune conditions)
• Reduced stress
• Improved wound healing
• Improved physical function and energy⁵
• Decreased fatigue and tiredness⁵

Most of the emerging research around grounding is of low quality. Small numbers of participants have been enrolled, participants may have experienced positive placebo effects (due to a person's expectations) or bias, or a control group of non-grounding subjects was not included in the study for comparison. However, this doesn't mean study results should necessarily be ignored or that grounding has no merit.

The Spiritual Aspect of Grounding

Many people note the spiritual aspects of grounding, including feelings of peace, introspection, and contentment after a grounding session. Grounding is often seen as a way to connect to Mother Earth or a greater force and as a method of establishing a more coexistent life with our planet.

How Long Does Grounding Take to Work?

There is not enough research on grounding to offer a clinical guideline on how long (either per session or over the long term) grounding needs to be practiced to achieve health benefits.

During the 1800s, Sebastian Kneipp—a German priest and originator of the naturopathic movement (using natural remedies to self-heal)—advised adherents to walk barefoot in nature three times each day.³

Some research shows significant effects from grounding on pain and inflammation after just 30 minutes.²

The consensus is that you may feel some health benefits (such as improved mood and energy) within one session of grounding, but consistent practice for as many days as possible throughout a lifetime is ideal.

For many people, grounding is a long-term practice that becomes a part of their lifestyle rather than a short-term solution.

Summary

Grounding is an ancient practice in which the body is directly connected to the earth's surface and experiences electrical conduction due to the Earth's natural electric charge. Some people believe that putting the body in this state leads to physical effects and possible health benefits such as improved sleep, altered immune function, reduced inflammation, improved mood, less pain and soreness, and more.

Sources:

1. Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Brown R. The effects of grounding (Earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res. 2015;8:83-96. doi:10.2147%2FJIR.S69656
2. Menigoz W, Latz T, Ely R, Kamei C, Melvin G, Sinatra D. Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (Grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations. EXPLORE. 2020;16(3):152-160. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2019.10.005
3. Jamieson, I. Grounding (Earthing) as related to electromagnetic hygiene: An integrative review. Biomedical Journal. 2023;46(1):30-40. doi:10.1016/j.bj.2022.11.005
4. Koniver, L. Practical applications of grounding to support health. Biomedical Journal. 2023;46(1):41-47. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2022.12.001
5. Chevalier G, Patel S, Weiss L, Chopra D, Mills PJ. The effects of grounding (Earthing) on bodyworkers’ pain and overall quality of life: a randomized controlled trial. Explore (NY). 2019;15(3):181-190. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2018.10.001
6. Chevalier G. The effect of grounding the human body on mood. Psychol Rep. 2015;116(2):534-542. doi:10.2466/06.PR0.116k21w5
7. Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Brown R. The effects of grounding (Earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res. 2015;8:83-96. doi:10.2147%2FJIR.S69656

Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.verywellhealth.com by Sarah Bence, OTR/L where all credits are due. Medically reviewed by Melissa Bronstein, LICSW

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