Grounding: Can Walking Barefoot on the Earth Heal You?
Posted by LiLeah on
People typically perform grounding outdoors by lying or walking on the ground or submerging themselves in water. However, grounding mats, sheets, or other equipment can also be used.
Grounding, also called earthing, is a technique that involves doing activities that “ground” or electrically reconnect you to the earth. These activities may include being in direct contact with the soil (earth) or using a grounding mat or device that creates a pathway between the body and the ground.
This therapeutic practice uses earthing science and grounding physics to explain how electrical charges from the earth could have positive effects on your body. This type of grounding therapy should not be confused with a grounding technique that is often used for anxiety management.
Grounding or earthing is based on the earthing hypothesis.This proposes that because the surface of the earth carries a negative electrical charge, when your skin touches it directly, an exchange occurs. The body can then absorb electrons, which are supposed to help combat free radicals.
Grounding is currently an under-researched topic, and there are very few independent and quality scientific studies on its benefits. However, based on the above hypothesis, some research has explored grounding as a therapeutic option for inflammation, cardiovascular disease, muscle damage, chronic pain, and mood.
In an older study from 2018, 16 massage therapists participated in a controlled trial that aimed to assess the potential benefits of working and sleeping while being grounded. After 4 weeks, participants showed a general trend of stress reduction.
Researchers observed changes in average heart rate, average respiratory rate, and other biomarkers. These changes pointed toward a potential relaxing effect of grounding on the body.
Similarly, in a small 2019 study, researchers explored the benefits of grounding in 16 adults who worked as massage therapists.
Before grounding therapy, physical and emotional stress and pain were common side effects of their physically demanding jobs. After one week of earthing therapy and at a subsequent follow-up, participants reported lower levels of pain, stress, depression, and fatigue.
Both of the above studies had significant limitations, though. Small sample sizes don’t allow results to be widely generalized, and neither study accounted for gender and body composition differences or for environmental influences that could have affected stress and relaxation levels. The second study also relied on self-reports from the participants and didn’t account for a possible placebo effect.
A more recent study of 21 people with diabetes indicated that 1 hour of grounding per day for a month accelerated wound healing, which is typically challenging for people with the condition.
A 2022 quasi-experimental study in 20 preterm infants in Indonesia indicated that 1 hour of grounding per day for 30 days reduced the duration of acute respiratory infections in the babies. More research is needed to understand the effects of grounding on children.
Most of the studies on grounding are small and rely somewhat on subjective measures, such as self-reported effects or self-administered grounding therapy.
Here are the activities that are commonly promoted by earthing practitioners:
- Walking barefoot: Whether on grass, sand, or even mud, walking without shoes or socks allows the skin to touch the natural ground, which can provide grounding energy.
- Lying on the ground: Instead of walking barefoot, you may also lie on the ground, allowing your skin to come in direct contact with it. You can do this in the grass by the park or on the sand at the beach.
- Submersing in water: Natural sea or river water can potentially ground the human body in the same way the physical earth is proposed to.
- Using grounding equipment: When going outside to ground yourself isn’t an option, a grounding mat or similar equipment may be used. Other products include socks, patches, and blankets.