How Earthing Gets You Grounded

Kids never think twice about running barefoot, and would probably play shoeless all day if left to their own devices. Their connection to the earth is instinctual—it just feels good. As adults, however, we wear shoes, drive on asphalt roads and work in insulated environments; our feet rarely touch natural surfaces. Yet a growing body of anecdotal evidence suggests the kids are on to something and there are health benefits in connecting our bare feet to the earth.

Grounding, also known as “earthing,” essentially means walking barefoot on any natural surface, such as soil, grass or sand, that allows you to tap into the earth’s natural electrical field. It can also mean sitting, working or sleeping indoors while connected to a system that grounds you to the earth.

“The Earth is an electrical planet, and you are a bioelectrical being living on an electrical planet,” explains Martin Zucker, veteran health journalist and co-author of Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever! In fact, various parts of the human body function electrically, notably the nervous system and the heart.

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman suggests that when the body is grounded, its electric potential becomes an extension of our planet’s electrical system, allowing the earth to be the “working agent that cancels, reduces or pushes away [other] electric fields from the body,” notably electromagnetic fields (EMFs) created by the conveniences of the modern world that some claim negatively affect human health.

Zucker takes the power of grounding further, into the realm of healing. “The ground under your feet may actually be the single most-powerful medicine on the planet,” he suggests, “because of Mother Earth’s natural endowment of ‘electric nutrition,’ a virtually limitless supply of free electrons that give the ground we walk on its negative electric charge.”

Every time you walk on natural surfaces with your bare feet you plug into this natural power source, earthing advocates say, and this flow of negatively charged energy can bring your body into balance with the planet and reduce electrical overload caused by daily EMF exposure.

Health Effects

Natural EMFs can be generated by such phenomena as storms and ocean currents. But they’re also emitted artificially from electrical wires and cell phone towers outdoors, and from every device that plugs into an electric outlet, as well as from battery-charged electronic devices indoors. And while there is no consensus as to whether these manmade electrical fields pose a health risk, there is reason to suggest they might.

It is well known that high levels of the human hormone cortisol in the body are linked with oxidative stress and inflammation, which are known contributing factors in cancer and a variety of age-related conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. The documented health benefits from lowering cortisol levels and reducing inflammation include moderated heart rates, boosted immunity, improved glucose regulation, lessened pain, and improved regulation of the endocrine and nervous systems.

Earthing proponents believe that EMF exposure causes elevated cortisol levels and inflammation—and the health ailments linked to them—and that absorbing the planet’s negative electrons through grounding counters these harmful effects.

A link between EMFs and cortisol increases has yet to be proven, but there is some scientific data indicating that earthing can help lower levels of the hormone, regardless of what caused its initial rise. A small 2004 study of 12 adults showed that grounding the subjects through a system connecting them to the earth while they slept significantly reduced their cortisol levels. This, in turn, resulted in marked improvements in such inflammation-related health complaints as sleep dysfunction, pain and stress.

The study supported numerous anecdotal reports and the results, cheered by grounding advocates, prompted cardiologist and researcher Stephan Sinatra, founder of the New England Heart Center and co-author of the Earthing book, to characterize the apparent cortisol-lowering effects of grounding as “the original anti-inflammatory.”

Get Grounded

So, how does one get grounded? The simplest way is to walk or run barefoot on natural surfaces—soil, grass or sand. Wet sand is considered the best conductor of earth’s natural electrons.

Thin leather or hide soles, while not as beneficial as bare feet, still allow foot and ground moisture to conduct energy from the earth. Moccasins are ideal. Electrostatic discharge footwear (ESD) is also effective, but not as beneficial as going barefoot. Another practical footwear option is “earthing shoes.” These—and other grounding products, such as pads, sheets and cords—are widely available on the Internet.

And while there is no conclusive proof that EMFs cause health problems, grounding advocates, including Zucker, still urge limiting your exposure to them. Continuous EMFs are emitted from all plugged-in electrical cords (even if the appliance is turned off), internal wiring and all ungrounded electrical devices, so the first course of action is to simply unplug all unused devices. (An added bonus is the money you’ll save on your utility bill; a new study estimates Americans waste $19 billion a year on always-on but inactive devices.) This is particularly important in the bedroom, which should be free of electrical gadgets, especially cordless phones, mobile digital devices and chargers.

Other steps include replacing fluorescent lights, which create strong EMFs, and utilizing grounding techniques that reduce electrostatic discharge. There are also several EMF filters available for purchase online.

You can find find step-by-step, illustrated DIY instructions online for relatively simple grounding techniques to use during the day or while you sleep (naturesplatform.com/earthing.html). However, unless you are an experienced electrician, professional help is recommended. Some guidelines for proper protocol are detailed at www.buildingbiology.ca. If you are on medication or have a medical condition, check first with your healthcare provider to be sure it’s safe for you. Happily, now that you’re an adult, you won’t need any approval for going barefoot.