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Hello Earthlings!

What makes us so connected to this Earth?

That we are born on this very planet and all our life is supported by Mother Nature. 

It turns out that kicking off your shoes and literally interacting with Mother Earth has health advantages, including improved immunity, sleep regulation, and stress reduction. 

There is an ancient technique that almost all of us are looking for right now: GROUNDING. Grounding is a therapeutic method that involves connecting to the earth outside. It helps in feeling free, an instant method to unwind, feel less nervous, and simply feel better.

What is Grounding Theory?

You must have heard the word grounding in electrical terms. Almost everything in the electrical world is connected to a grounding wire for safety and stability, whether it’s an electric power plant or your refrigerator. The term “grounded” refers to this.

The grounding theory says that the Earth is like a massive battery that has a natural, mild electrical charge—a unique type of energy found beneath the surface. When humans make an electrical connection to the earth’s energy, this is known as grounding or grounding therapy. Walking barefoot in the grass, mud, or sand is the most basic form.

Grounding is just touching the ground or plants growing out of the earth outside with our bodies. The body is conductively grounded in the same way that a building is grounded to the earth.

Grounding theory works on the electromagnetic field of the Earth. Our entire body is electrically conductive. Conductivity governs the operation of our brain, heart, muscles, blood, respiration, digestion, sensory organs, and every other organ system we have, right down to our individual cells. Because we are so thoroughly conductive, the moment one single cell on your body comes into contact with the earth, it gets entirely grounded to the earth, much like turning on a light switch.

While the specific mechanism of action is unknown, one theory suggests that the body uses free electrons from the earth to reduce inflammation and reset the body’s conductive set point. As a result, inflammation spreads throughout the entire body, from head to toe. As your body is stabilised and neutralised, stress and tension are released. As your tissues, organs, blood, brain, and bones—literally everything your body is made of—become grounded, it can feel like an immediate relief.

We live on an electrical planet as bioelectrical beings. Our bodies run on electricity. Our cells all communicate different frequencies that run our heart, immune system, muscles, and neurological system, to name a few. Some people use grounding mats and other equipment to take a more technical approach. 

All living things in our world are related to the electric energy of the ground, with the exception of humans who live in industrialised society. You rarely go outside barefoot or wear natural leather shoes that allow you to absorb the ground’s energy in industrialised societies. People have been wearing rubber and plastic-soled shoes for decades, which operate as a barrier to the Earth’s energy, shielding them from electrical contact with the Earth. 

In addition, unlike many societies throughout history, people no longer sleep on the ground. They live and work in high-rise buildings, sometimes hundreds of feet above ground.

You’re actually cut off. We don’t have a firm footing. We are ungrounded. You don’t have a connection to the planet. Is it possible that this divergence is contributing to the rise in illnesses mentioned earlier? There might be science behind it. 

Why Have We Become Ungrounded?

Humans are increasingly cut off from grounding interactions as a result of their modern lifestyles. Humans are becoming increasingly disconnected from the Earth’s fundamental electron flow as a result of modern lifestyles. Since the 1960s, for example, we’ve been progressively using insulating rubber or plastic-soled shoes instead of conventional leather-soled shoes made from skins. The employment of insulating materials in post-World War II shoes, according to Rossi, has distanced humans from the Earth’s energy field. Obviously, we don’t sleep on the ground anymore like we used to.

Chronic illness, immunological disorders, and inflammatory diseases have all increased considerably in recent decades, and some experts attribute this to environmental factors.

Back in the late 1800s, a back-to-nature movement in Germany claimed that going barefoot outdoors, even in freezing weather, had numerous health benefits. After hearing from some people that they couldn’t sleep properly “unless they were on the ground or connected to the ground in some way,” such as with copper wires attached to grounded-to-Earth water, gas, or radiator pipes, White, a medical doctor, investigated the practise of sleeping grounded in the 1920s. These strategies helped him sleep better, he said. These concepts, however, were never accepted by the general public.

While the study on the benefits of grounding for your health and well-being is new, the practise is not. Past societies walked barefoot or wore hide-based leather footwear, allowing the Earth’s energy to ascend up into their bodies. They were taken to the ground.

The bottom line is that we have, in a sense, lost our electrical origins. You’re disconnected. We are ungrounded and this distance could be a major contributor to human sorrow and suffering, as well as the rapidly rising incidence of chronic illness around the world. 

The Earth’s Field of Magnetism

Humans are energetic beings. The human body is surrounded and filled with electrical currents and magnetic fields.

The body’s functioning is governed by a web or system of interaction energy fields made up of these currents. It’s known as the human biofield in energy medicine. In Ayurvedic medicine, this subtle force is known as prana, and in Chinese medicine, it is known as qi. However, additional types of energy beyond electromagnetic waves are likely to be included in these old terminologies (for example, sound energy).

According to grounding theory, it turns out that the Earth has a similar energetic anatomy to ours. The Earth emits energy centres, energy pathways, and magnetic fields. Solar radiation, lightning, and heat from the Earth’s molten core recharge the Earth’s huge battery. 

The notion in these old Indian and Chinese traditions is that a life force energy runs through the body (extending beyond it). Illness results from blockages and abnormalities in the movement of this energy. Our bodies’ qi derives from Heavenly Qi and Earth Qi, according to Chinese belief.

The energy of the sun and the cosmos is referred to as Heavenly Qi. The natural network of energy, magnetic field, and natural heat of the Earth combine to create Earth Qi. Reiki and other modern energy therapies work on a similar concept.

Health Benefits of Grounding 

Medical studies have demonstrated that maintaining a grounded condition over time benefits the human body in a variety of ways, Some of these benefits of grounding includes:

  • allowing more blood to flow freely
  • boosting circulation
  • Increasing vagal tone
  • lowering stress hormones and removing us from the “fight or flight” mode
  • muscle and bone protection
  • increasing the variability of heart rate
  • hormones that keep things in check
  • boosting metabolism and assisting with digestion
  • uplifting the mood
  • Immune system enhancement
  • enhancing sleep quality
  1. Decreased Levels of Inflammation and Pain

Reduced and even eradication of chronic inflammation, a common cause or aggravating factor for chronic and aging-related diseases, as well as pain, is one of the most effective impacts of Earthing, as established by nearly 20 years of research and feedback from thousands of people around the world.

The finding shows that our planet is the original painkiller, the original anti-inflammatory: nature’s response to inflammation.

Every day, billions of free radicals are produced by each cell. The act of earthing allows a large amount of free electrons to enter the body, where they are thought to neutralise free radicals.

Every day, billions of free radicals are produced by each cell. The act of earthing allows a large amount of free electrons to enter the body, where they are thought to neutralise free radicals. The neurological, meridian, and circulatory systems may all play a role in electron transport to a location of inflammation. The influx of free electrons into the body is thought to act as a significant anti-inflammatory reinforcement for the immune system.

  1. Reduced Stress Levels

The stress hormone cortisol’s diurnal pattern begins to normalise when you’re grounded. Cortisol is linked to your body’s stress reaction and aids in blood sugar regulation, metabolic regulation, inflammation reduction, and memory formation. 

  1. Improved Circulation

When you are grounded, your circulation improves, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach your body’s tissues, including increased blood flow to your face.

  1. Decreases stress response

It can aid in the transition of our autonomic nerve system from sympathetic to parasympathetic. Measurements of autonomic nerve system (ANS) function, which is vital in the regulation of inflammatory and stress responses, improve immediately and significantly after earthing.

  1. Increases heart rate variability

The higher our heart rate variability, or the time between heartbeats, the better our autonomic nervous system functions. This has been linked to improved recovery, emotional resilience, and general happiness.

  1. Improves sleep and cortisol rhythm

One of our most important stress chemicals is cortisol. We are a lot less tired and calmer after Earthing. The adrenal difficulties and, as a result, cortisol levels begin to improve as the sleep pattern improves. We begin to feel more energised and better as time goes on.

  1. Improves wound healing

Grounding exercises can be a great thing to include in an integrative approach to healing. Wounds have a better healing tendency in the open. 

  1. Reduces blood viscosity

This may be one of the most effective ways to lower your cardiovascular risk. Earthing “reduces blood viscosity and clumping,” according to the researchers, and “appears to be one of the simplest and yet most powerful therapies for reducing cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular events.”

Wendy Menigoz, Tracy T. Latz, Robin A. Ely, Cimone Kamei, Gregory Melvin, Drew Sinatra,

Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations, Volume 16, Issue 3,2020,Pages 152-160,ISSN 1550-8307,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2019.10.005.

Daily Grounding Techniques For Everyone

There are several ways to practice grounding, or earthing. The simplest way is to walk on the ground in your bare feet. Moisture helps conduct the earth’s energy, so wet grass, dirt, or sand are the best ways to experience grounding. Keep in mind, your feet may be tender, especially if you aren’t used to walking around barefoot.

Maybe you’ve experienced tingling or a similar feeling while strolling barefoot on the grass. You are grounded in such moments. It is one of the reasons why so many people are drawn to the sea.

Being rooted might refer to one of two things:

Being totally present in your body and/or having a strong sense of connection to the planet. We’ve all been grounded at some point in our lives. We have a sense of being “at home.” However, this is yet another in-the-moment experience.

Fortunately, there are grounding techniques that can assist us in becoming and remaining rooted in our bodies. Let us learn about the following:-

A Cold Shower

When one is feeling anxious a cold shower can help in soothing your mind and nerves. 

Mindful Walking

Walking barefoot, like reflexology, offers the added advantage of rubbing acupuncture points in your feet.

The Kidney-1 (K-1) point, often known as the “bubbling well,” is located in the centre of your foot and is of great relevance. This point is stimulated by walking barefoot. When walking, make sure to use your entire foot: heel, ball, and toes.

Hugging Tree

Grounding principles are based on reconnecting to mother nature and thus hugging a tree is the closest we can come to nature.

Visualising Your Center Self

A person can utilise visualisation exercises or sensory diffusers to reduce the intensity of their feelings. Among the approaches used are:

Visualize clenching their fist to hold on to their feelings while turning down an emotional dial, then letting go when they release their fist.

Imagining a safe location through guided imagery diverting themselves 

A variety of strategies may be used to achieve distraction from past memories.

Focus on recent or future events, such as a daily to-do list or reassuring oneself of their current safety. Remind oneself of the current reality counting or reciting something to bring one’s attention back to the present.

The 5 Senses Technique

People also focus on the five senses when practising grounding techniques: sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell. Some claim that using this strategy can help them overcome a panic attack. The five senses are used in this grounding technique.

A person should:

  • search for five things they can see
  • search for four things they can touch
  • search for three things they can hear
  • search for two things they can smell
  • search for one thing they can taste

The Breathing Focus Parameters

Returning to the present moment by consciously inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth is an excellent method.

Placing one’s hands on the belly and watching them move up and down with the breath can help to focus these breathing exercises. Some people, especially if their thoughts and feelings are highly intense, may require a combination of grounding tactics to return to the present.

Find Peace in Daily Chores 

Convert the never-ending chore of dishwashing or cleaning or watering garden into a grounding exercise instead of being agitated, and finally answer the age-old question: is water wet? Concentrate on the water’s temperature. Do you have the same level of warmth in all parts of your hand? Take note of the chilly rinse water’s contrast. Consider how water cleanses and heals the body and psyche.

5 Mental Grounding Techniques

Try these mental grounding exercises to ease distressing thoughts and feelings.

A Look at Memories:Take a look at a painting or other work of art. Close your eyes and try to recall as much information as possible.

Mental Maths or Puzzles: Recalling fundamental math concepts is a simple method to relax and strengthen your brain at the same time. Bonus points if you’re lousy at arithmetic because you’ll need to concentrate even more slowly. Counting down from 100 or thinking of 5 different ways to make a number are two other methods to apply math.

Do a Recital or Harmonize: Reciting a song, poetry, or text is an excellent technique to anchor yourself in the present moment, despite the fact that it may seem counterproductive.

Find Joy in Little Things: Read a picture book. Take a look at a baking video. Sit among the plants. Pet your dog or cat. In your spare time, do things that are good for you. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can do it for yourself.

Mindful Meals: Many of us have developed the habit of cramming food into our mouths while staring at our phones or other electronic devices. To begin, put your phone, your to-do list, and your racing thoughts aside and concentrate solely on your food. Take a deep breath and inhale deeply to really appreciate all of the wonderful aromas. Take a small bite, set your fork down, and chew thoroughly, taking note of all the textures and flavours. Repeat.

Time for The Science Behind Grounding

The natural notion behind earthing treatment is that connecting to the energy of the planet is good for our souls and bodies. While there’s a revolutionary appeal to the idea of energetically connecting with Mother Earth, there’s also a more scientific angle to the practise, which claims that access to the abundant supply of free electrons in the subtly negatively charged ground can help neutralise free radicals—if only we’d take off our shoes and access them. Earthing, also known as grounding, is recommended by several members in our community for everything from inflammation and arthritis to insomnia and depression.

We become neutral as a result of grounding. It calms us down and removes our anxiety and stress. To oxidise and eliminate infections and damaged cells, our innate immune systems use neutrophils, which are white blood cells that generate reactive oxygen molecules known as free radicals. Free radicals have an electrical charge due to an electron imbalance; in their search for a free electron to neutralise, they may attach to or steal an electron from a healthy cell, causing damage.

The damaged cell must then be eliminated, and the immune system dispatches a new neutrophil to digest it, restarting the cycle. Chronic inflammation, which causes chronic pain and promotes a variety of health problems, is triggered in this way. The fact that free radical-generating compounds are found in fried food, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides, air pollution, and even the sun’s rays exacerbates this response.

When a person is grounded, free electrons easily diffuse between the earth and the body, lowering free radicals and eliminating any static electrical charge. Grounding is so effective because it decreases and avoids inflammation in the body, which in turn prevents inflammation-related health problems.

Many studies on the benefits of grounding have been published, all of which confirm the above-mentioned findings. We dug deep into the following leading publications to show you exactly how grounding science works.

Earthing was tested in a pilot research to see if it improved or elevated mood. While reclining in a comfy recliner chair equipped with a conductive pillow, mat, and patches connecting them to the ground, 40 adult participants were either grounded or sham-grounded (no grounding) for 1 hour. The Brief Mood Introspection Scale (comprising four mood scales) was utilised in this pilot study, which was double-blinded. The emotions of those who were grounded, but not those who were sham-grounded, improved statistically considerably. The researchers determined that a one-hour touch with the Earth enhanced mood more than relaxation alone could.  

Another research The studies summarized below involve indoor-testing methods under controlled conditions that simulate being barefoot outdoors.

In a separate, smaller study, 10 healthy volunteers were given grounding patches to wear on their hands and feet to see how it affected their heart health. To assess changes in red blood cell fluidity, blood samples were obtained before and after grounding.

After grounding, there was a significant reduction in blood cell clumping, indicating that the practise is helpful to heart health. The effects of grounding on pain relief have also been researched. To learn how grounding impacts post-exercise muscle injury, one study employed grounding patches and mats. Before and after grounding, researchers evaluated creatine kinase, white blood cell counts, and discomfort levels.

Grounding reduced muscular damage and pain, indicating that it influenced the body’s ability to repair, according to the results of the blood study.

A more recent study looked at the pain-relieving and mood-boosting effects of grounding. The participants in this study were 16 massage therapists who alternated between times of grounding and periods of no grounding.

They’d all complained of chronic pain and physical and emotional stress as a result of their physically demanding work. All of the subjects reported less pain, stress, depression, and weariness after receiving grounding therapy.

Many of these studies are small and rely on anecdotal information, while some do include blood markers that can be measured. 

Major Findings from the Grounding Research

  1. Restoration of normal day-night cortisol secretion profiles: The majority of subjects with high- to out-of-range nighttime secretion levels experienced improvements by sleeping grounded.
  2. The Umbrella Effect of Grounding: The study confirms the “umbrella” effect of earthing the body explained by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman in his lectures on electromagnetism. This study demonstrates that grounding essentially eliminates the ambient voltage induced on the body from common electricity power sources.
  3. Reductions in Overall Stress Levels and Tension: Fifty-eight healthy adult subjects (including 30 controls) participated in a randomized double-blind pilot study investigating earthing effects on human physiology. Earthing the human body showed significant effects on electrophysiological properties of the brain and musculature.
  4. Confirming Shift from Sympathetic to Parasympathetic Activation: Fourteen men and 14 women, in good health, ages 18–80, were tested while seated in a comfortable recliner during 2-hour grounding sessions, leaving time for signals to stabilize before, during, and after grounding. Respiratory rate (RR) increased during grounding, an effect that lasted after ungrounding. RR variance increased immediately after grounding and then decreased.
  5. Immune Cell and Pain Responses with Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness Induction: The results showed that grounding the body to the Earth alters measures of immune system activity and pain. Among the ungrounded men, for instance, there was an expected, sharp increase in white blood cells at the stage. In comparison, the grounded men had only a slight decrease in white blood cells, indicating scant inflammation, and, for the first time ever observed, a shorter recovery time.
  6. Heart Rate Variability: Since improved HRV is a significant positive indicator on cardiovascular status, during the grounded sessions, participants had statistically significant improvements in HRV that went way beyond basic relaxation results.

The above results are taken from the paper-Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S. T., Oschman, J. L., Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: health implications of reconnecting the human body to the Earth’s surface electrons. Journal of environmental and public health, 2012, 291541. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291541 

Feel the earth greet you with each stride, and pay attention to how your foot feels on the ground and how it pulls away from it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does grounding mean?

Grounding is a therapeutic technique that entails establishing a connection with the ground outside. It aids in feeling liberated, providing a quick way to relax, feel less nervous, and just feel better. Simply touching the ground or plants coming out of the dirt with our body is enough to ground us. In the same manner that a building is grounded to the soil, the body is conductively grounded.

What are the benefits of grounding?

The benefits of grounding on the human body is as follows:

  • allowing more blood to flow freely
  • boosting circulation
  • Increasing vagal tone
  • lowering stress hormones and removing us from the “fight or flight” mode
  • muscle and bone protection

 

What are some of the popular grounding techniques?

There are a variety of grounding practises that might help us become and stay rooted in our bodies. The most basic method is to walk barefoot on the ground. Others include:

  • A Cold Shower
  • Hugging Tree
  • Mindful Walking
  • Visualising Your Center Self

Are there mental grounding exercises to ease distressing thoughts?

To relieve troubling thoughts, try these mental grounding exercises:

Taking a Look Back:

Examine a painting or other piece of art. Close your eyes and try to remember as much as you can.

Puzzles: Recalling basic math ideas is a simple way to relax while also strengthening your brain.

Perform a Recital: Despite the fact that it may appear counterproductive, reciting a song, poetry, or literature is a fantastic approach for anchoring yourself in the present moment.

Have we become ungrounded?

Yes in today’s era we become ungrounded. As a result of their modern existence, humans are becoming increasingly cut off from grounding interactions. As a result of modern lives, humans are becoming increasingly separated from the Earth’s underlying electron flow.

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