Grounding: Ancient Origins, Health Benefits, and Practices

Our bodies are an electrochemical miracle, affected by the energetic charges they encounter as well as the foods we feed them. Petar Paunchev/Shutterstock

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Grounding is a popular trend, lauded for its numerous health benefits. Sometimes referred to as earthing, grounding is the practice of connecting with the earth to reduce inflammation, pain, and free radicals by neutralizing the excess positive energy in the human body. Some skeptics say that grounding is a scam, a placebo effect, or some New Age fad. However, since the late 1990s, several scientific studies have proven that the health benefits of grounding are real and plentiful.

This practice isn’t a new concept, though. Many ancient cultures revered grounding for its physical, mental, and spiritual benefits, and in recent years, it has become a significant industry. Although the very spirit of grounding is to escape the toxic effects of modern technology, a wide variety of products, such as grounding mats, sheets, pillows, and shoes, has been developed to provide these benefits in an urban setting.

Grounding in History

What is grounding? Grounding is based on the principle that the earth’s surface has a negative electrical charge, producing electrons. In contrast, human bodies have positive energy, and we can easily develop an excess build-up of protons and an electron deficiency through the development of free radicals. In the modern world, many people have become very disconnected from nature, especially in first-world countries. We wear shoes with rubber soles and other clothing of synthetic materials. We spend most of our time in buildings constructed from manmade materials, surrounded by the electronic devices of the latest technology. Thus, it’s not too far-fetched to think we could receive benefits from reconnecting with the earth’s energy.

Nevertheless, this isn’t a new form of therapy, developed to combat the electrical overload of the computer age. There is evidence that many ancient cultures believed in physical and spiritual rejuvenation from grounding. Ancient cultures such as the Greeks were known to use electricity for therapy and focus on balancing earth energy as one of the four classical elements, while Native Americans harnessed the powers of “Mother Earth” for healing purposes. In the late 19th century, German naturopath Adolf Just wrote “Back to Nature,” a book including extensive discussion of his core belief that walking barefoot on the ground and sleeping directly on the earth are the most powerful ways of restoring health and happiness. He cited the ancient Greek myth of Antaeus, who was invincible when connected to the earth but became weak when lifted into the air as proof.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medical discipline still widely practiced which embraces the principles of grounding. In TCM, Qi is the term used for life force energy. This energy is in people, animals, plants, the earth, the air, and all around us. The concept was obviously the inspiration for the Force in “Star Wars,” as described by Yoda in “The Empire Strikes Back.” TCM teaches that sluggish, blocked, or stuck Qi produces illness, whereas the Qi flows smoothly in a healthy body. Grounding activates and strengthens the kidney energy, which TCM teaches is the root of health, since it keeps the bodily fluids in balance.

Grounding’s Health Benefits

Some benefits of grounding are obvious. Walking barefoot on the ground requires you to go outside in nature, which has the health benefits of fresh air, sunshine, and proximity to plants. Walking itself is an excellent form of exercise, providing low-impact movement without the need for skill or complex equipment. Being in nature inevitably relieves stress and boosts your mood after being cooped up indoors, hearkening back to the childhood joy of running onto the playground at recess. However, studies by respected medical experts show that the scientific benefits offered by outdoor recreation increase exponentially when you take your shoes off.

Expert cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra worked with biologist Dr. James Oschman in the late 1990s to research the physiological benefits of grounding. The website Healthy Directions features a wonderfully concise yet thorough article by Dr. Sinatra entitled “Grounding Benefits for the Heart,” which summarizes the findings. In it, Dr. Sinatra calls grounding “an amazingly simple concept that involves nothing more than reconnecting the human body with the energy naturally present in the ground we walk on.” He said it’s now one of his cardinal principles because it’s one of the most important breakthroughs in hearth health he has encountered.

In this article, Dr. Sinatra says that grounding offers four main health benefits:

• A decrease in inflammation and an improvement or elimination of the symptoms associated with many inflammation-related disorders, including heart disease.
• Lowered stress and increased calmness in the body by moderating heart rate variability, nervous system activity, and stress hormone secretion.
• Improved efficiency of the cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems.
• A reduction in chronic pain.

He also explains how grounding lowers blood pressure by reducing hyperviscosity and stress. Interestingly, he doesn’t specifically mention that grounding has been shown to improve sleep quality by regulating the circadian rhythm, one of the most commonly cited benefits. As a scientist, he focused on medical causes, such as increased calmness, steady heart rate, and regulated hormones.

Here’s how the cardiologist says grounding works: “The Earth’s surface contains a limitless number of free electrons that are continually replenished through solar radiation and lightning strikes; your body naturally absorbs these particles when you make physical contact with the ground. In the body, these electrons have an anti-inflammatory effect because they reduce the free-radical activity that causes inflammation and chronic pain. ... The energy of the free electrons gained through grounding also helps keep your body’s innate electrical circuitry properly balanced. ... Without a regular connection to the Earth, people can develop what I call an electron deficiency. In turn, this can lead to imbalances in the body and potentially to significant health problems.”

How to Ground

Grounding, in its traditional sense, is as simple as it sounds. Go outside and walk, sit, or lie with your bare skin against the earth. Grass, sand, moist dirt, and pebbles all offer different health benefits. Walking on different natural textures also acts as acupressure for your feet, activating pressure points. Spending at least an hour grounding would give you plenty of time to soak in the wholesome properties, but studies show that even a few minutes of grounding can produce the desired effects. In my home in Southern California, I can comfortably walk barefoot outside basically year-round, as long as I’m wearing warm enough clothing. I’ve noticed a feeling of reduced foot and leg pain after dancing, improved mood, and stronger immune resistance to catching colds just from walking barefoot around the dirt and grass areas of my gated community. I’ve even felt a headache disappear after a few minutes of walking in the grass.

Most articles on grounding briefly pass over the simple, free practice of going outside to discuss the numerous “grounding” products. Grounding mattress pads, sheets, and pillows promise a deep, refreshing, healing sleep. Grounding mats can be used under your desk, as a yoga mat, or as a couch cushion for continual grounding benefits throughout the home and workplace all day long. These items occasionally are connected to a stake placed in the damp earth, but they usually rely on a cord plugged into the grounding port in wall outlets for their negatively charged energy.

I haven’t tried any earthing products, but I’m curious to do so. However, I don’t think any product should be used as the sole means of receiving grounding benefits without the additional priority of spending time outside earthing. The very spirit of this ancient practice is to absorb the natural energy of the earth, which is impossible indoors through a cord. When grounding outdoors, I’ve noticed that I feel much more present in the moment, aware of my surroundings, and in touch with reality because of the sensations I’m experiencing through the highly sensitive nerves in my feet. This summer, enjoy a free gift of wellness by making earthing part of your routine.