TLDR - Grounding yourself is an excellent way to supply your body with free electrons from the Earth. These electrons help support your “body battery” and overall energy levels.
What is Earthing?
Earthing refers to the practice of touching the Earth's surface with bare skin. This can be done by walking barefoot on grass, sand, or dirt, or by sitting and touching a tree or bush. The Earth is a natural supply of electrons, or negative charge, and our bodies are semiconductors of these electrons. This negative charge is essential for optimum cellular health, blood flow, and lymphatic flow.
What is Grounding?
Grounding includes using devices to connect to the Earth's electrons even when you're indoors. These devices can be grounding mats, sheets, or shoes designed to conduct electrons from the Earth into your body. While Earthing outdoors has more benefits, Grounding indoors can still be beneficial, especially in our electron deficient environments.
Impact On Blood
One of the most compelling pieces of evidence supporting the benefits of Grounding and Earthing comes from blood analysis studies. These studies have shown that after just a few minutes of Earthing, the blood cells become less clumped and more structured. This improved blood flow enhances nutrient and oxygen delivery to the cells, which is crucial for overall health.
Other Benefits
When you Earth or Ground, there is an instantaneous flow of electrons into your body. This flow of electrons helps to lower inflammation and balance the autonomic nervous system, which includes the fight or flight and rest and digest responses.
Consistent Earthing or Grounding can help lead to better energy and sleep. Studies have shown that regular practice can support cardiovascular health, reduce anxiety and depression, aid in wound healing, and provide overall nervous system support.
Many parents report that taking their children outside for grounding helps them calm down, feel less anxious, and become more content and happy. (there is likely a sunlight factor involved as well)
Concerns About Grounding Devices
While Grounding devices can be beneficial, there are concerns about using them in high electricity areas. In such environments, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) may use you as a grounding point, potentially causing more harm than good. One analogy is animals on powerlines: birds can land on powerlines without being electrocuted, but squirrels that are grounded and touch the lines can get electrocuted. Similarly, in your home, you are surrounded by EMFs that aren't good for your health. If you step on a grounding mat, the EMFs may pass through you. Although you are still receiving electrons, you may also experience more electrical current that has other negative biological effects. The benefits may outweigh the concerns if you are very electron deficient.
Grounding Footwear
Many companies are now creating grounding shoes and sandals that allow you to stay connected to the Earth's electrons even while walking on surfaces like the ground or concrete. These shoes are designed with conductive materials that facilitate the flow of electrons into your body, providing the benefits of grounding on the go. It's important to note that different materials have different electrical conductivity. Earthing with your bare feet on the earth will always be a better source of electrons than using grounded footwear.
Grounding Socks
If you're wearing socks, different fabrics have varying levels of conductivity. Wool and cotton are generally the best options, as they are natural fibers that offer some level of conductivity. Polyester is not conductive and cannot be used for grounding purposes. There are also socks specifically designed for grounding, which incorporate conductive materials like silver or copper threads to enhance conductivity.
Areas for Best Grounding/Earthing
Certain natural environments, like waterfalls, are especially beneficial for Earthing. Waterfalls generate a higher concentration of negative ions, which are essentially free electrons. Spending time near waterfalls can amplify the benefits of Earthing.
Beaches: The crashing waves and salty air are rich in negative ions.
Forests: Dense forests, especially those with flowing streams or rivers, have high levels of negative ions.
Mountains: Higher altitudes often have cleaner air and more negative ions, especially near mountain streams and waterfalls.
Lakeshores: The areas around large lakes, especially where there is movement in the water, can be rich in negative ions.
Rainforests: The dense vegetation and frequent rainfall in rainforests contribute to high levels of negative ions.
Caves: Some caves, particularly those with underground streams or waterfalls, can have high concentrations of negative ions.
Hot Springs: Natural hot springs often have elevated levels of negative ions due to the movement and mineral content of the water.
Are You Grounded?
Walking with your bare feet on the earth: Yes
Walking while wearing grounding shoes and no socks: Yes
Walking while wearing grounding shoes and non conductive polyester socks: No
Both your sock and your shoe act as barriers between your foot and the ground. If either your sock or your shoe is not conductive, you will not be grounded.
Standing on a grounding mat in your house with bare feet: Yes
Standing on a grounding mat in your house with polyester socks: No
Standing on a grounding mat in your house with cotton socks: Yes
Note: Wearing socks, even if they are conductive, will still reduce your groundedness as they are less conductive than your bare feet.
Swimming in a lake or the ocean - Yes
Swimming in a pool - Maybe
This depends on whether the pool is directly connected to the Earth. If you're in a pool that is clearly built into the ground, you are probably grounded. If you're in a pool located in the penthouse of a tall building, you likely are not.
Grounding Products and EMFs
Grounding products have controversial concerns when used in high EMF environments. This connection can potentially create a pathway for the EMFs to travel through your body as they seek to ground themselves. Instead of reducing exposure, this can increase the amount of EMF your body is subjected to, effectively turning you into a conduit for these fields. This could then exacerbate the very issues grounding is meant to alleviate. This is controversial and situational. If you are very electron deficient then this may still be beneficial. It’s always best to ground through your bare feet on earth.