Grounding: Complete HogWash or A New Life Altering Discovery?
Grounding, also known as earthing, is a new term for an ancient practice. Grounding is the therapeutic act of connecting the body to the earth’s electrical activity. Common ways to practice grounding include walking barefoot outdoors, swimming in natural bodies of water like lakes or the ocean, or by using grounding equipment. Although research on grounding is relatively new, evidence suggests it may offer real health benefits.
The Science of Grounding
Grounding is the act of touching the ground with bare skin and connecting with Earth’s electromagnetic waves. Schumann resonances are a series of electromagnetic vibrations or waves that occur at extremely low frequencies (ELF) in the Earth’s atmosphere creating a global electrical circuit1. This circuit is powered by three main sources: the solar wind interacting with the magnetosphere, ionospheric (part of the Earth’s upper atmosphere) winds, and thunderstorms, creating thousands of lightning strikes per minute. This creates a positive charge in the ionosphere and a negative charge on the surface of the earth.
A global electrical circuit sustains the primary frequency of the grounding phenomenon. The earth’s natural electric charge (electrons) is believed to have an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effect on the body. Direct connection with the earth enables diurnal electrical rhythms and electrons to flow from the earth to the body.
Grounding Equipment
The main issue with grounding is that it is not a quick fix. The body must be grounded for extended periods of time to experience noticeable health benefits from chronic inflammatory conditions and oxidative stress.
Important note: if you don’t have chronic health conditions, grounding for 20-30 minutes daily is believed to be sufficient.
As grounding becomes more popular, new technology has emerged to allow for longer periods of grounding. Indoor grounding products are connected to the earth through grounded wall outlets. The legitimacy of these products is understandably questioned. However, most products have resounding customer reviews from verified purchases that support their validity. Some of the modern grounding equipment includes:
- Grounding mats – These mats can be placed under your desk or under your keyboard or mouse. It is best to allow the mat to touch bare skin or other conductive material (listed below)
- Grounding sheets/pads – Grounding sheets and pads are placed where you sleep to allow the body to be grounded overnight. Many report better quality sleep and decreased pain after using grounded bedding equipment.
- Wearable grounded accessories – Wearables can include wrist bands, foot bands, socks, and patches. All wearable grounding accessories have to be plugged into a grounded wall outlet so they might not be the most convenient method of grounding in some circumstances.
Non-Conductive Material
- Polyester
- Plastic
- Pavement
- Wood
- Ribber
- Foam
- Glass
Conductive Material
- Water
- Leather
- Cotton, wool, or other natural fiber
- Concrete
- Skin
- Metal
Effects of Inflammation on the Body
Inflammation is the body’s response to trauma or infection. Biomedical research has found chronic inflammation is the primary culprit behind almost every modern chronic illness2. Chronic inflammatory diseases are the leading cause of death globally. The World Health Organization identifies them as the greatest threat to human health.
In 2014 nearly 60% of Americans had at least one chronic inflammatory condition, 42% had one or more, and 12% had 5 or more3. There are over 400,000 studies on the effects of inflammation on the body. Most of which firmly conclude that inflammation plays a major role in conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, anxiety, auto-immune disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Worldwide 3 out of 5 people die from chronic inflammatory diseases.
Chronic inflammation in the body is a sign of persistent stress and recurring damage4. In most cases, inflammation is the result of lifestyle factors such as poor eating habits that disrupt cellular function, and insufficient physical activity leading to excess weight and low muscle mass. According to recent research, spending too much time disconnected from the Earth’s electromagnetic waves is another inflammation-inducing lifestyle factor. More than half of the people with chronic inflammatory conditions will die early due to the ongoing stress and trauma to the body systems.
Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress occurs when there is an excess of unstable molecules, known as free radicals, in the body and not enough antioxidants to neutralize them5. This imbalance can result from environmental and lifestyle factors. Environmental contributors include air pollution, pesticides, and radiation, all of which can increase free radicals. Lifestyle factors such as a diet high in ultra-processed foods and sugar, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption also promote the buildup of these unstable molecules.
Oxidative stress affects every cell in the body leading to damaged cell membranes, DNA, proteins, and lipids. Due to the cellular damage oxidative stress accelerates the aging process leading to the development of chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease often resulting in early death.
Research on grounding is progressing rapidly as this new, nonpharmaceutical approach to health gains popularity. 12 blinded studies found that participants who used conductive bed sheets, floor or desk pads, or grounding patches showed significant improvements in inflammatory markers, reduced oxidative stress, better sleep, and overall better health after practicing grounding6.
The Effects of the Modern Lifestyle
The world today is busy and far separated from nature. Take a moment and think about the last time you walked through the grass barefoot. After adolescence, most people leave barefoot backyard explorations permanently in their past.
The current global state of health along with new scientific data suggests the absence of connecting to the earth may be taking a real toll on human health. Early humans spent most of their lives directly connected to Earth’s electromagnetic fields. They walked barefoot or wore conductive animal pelts as shoes, slept on the ground, and carried out daily activities like cooking and socializing while remaining in contact with the earth. Today humans are more disconnected from the earth than ever before, and this coincides with unprecedented levels of poor health7.
It understandably may seem like hogwash or “hippie nonsense” when you originally hear of the concept of grounding. However, it is widely understood that sitting outside with fresh air is better than sitting on the couch with your phone. It is common knowledge that building a garden is healthier than building new stats on your favorite video game. It is also universally known that a barefoot walk down the beach is more refreshing and rejuvenating than a long walk on a treadmill. So, is it so hard to believe that the human body needs, if not craves, physical connection with the earth?
A Nonpharmacuitical Approach to Heal Chronic Conditions
The current hypothesis is that connecting the body to the Earth’s electromagnetic vibrations enables free electrons to spread throughout the body. Free electrons are believed to have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect8. Recent research in cell biology has revealed that the human body contains a system-wide semiconductor network, referred to as the living matrix, which is composed of liquid crystalline structures.
Integrins — proteins that facilitate the attachment of cells to each other and to the extracellular matrix9 —, are thought to enable the conduction of electrons into the cell’s interior. The living matrix is believed to distribute electrons throughout the body, protecting cells, tissues, and organs during periods of oxidative stress or injury.
Grounding: A New Life Altering Discovery?
The best way to practice grounding is by combining natural grounding methods with grounding equipment. Start your day by standing on the grass for a few minutes. If time allows, repeat this throughout the day and before bed. This practice enhances your connection to the earth while promoting relaxation and stress relief as you reconnect with nature. During the busier hours of the day use grounding mats or wearables or use grounding sheets while you sleep.
The research for grounding is still in progress. However, the evidence suggests a strong connection between grounding and the relief of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. While still considered experimental, grounding falls into the category of low risk, potentially high reward. It is a nonpharmacological, natural experiment that you can perform on yourself for free or relatively low cost if you choose to try grounding equipment. Considering the potential life-altering benefits to major health conditions, it is likely that grounding is worth implementing into your daily routine.
Supporting Research
- Williams E.R. The global electrical circuit: a review. Atmos Res. 2009;2:140–152. ↩︎
- Oschman JL. Perspective: assume a spherical cow: the role of free or mobile electrons in bodywork, energetic and movement therapies. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2008 Jan;12(1):40-57. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2007.08.002. Epub 2007 Dec 3. PMID: 19083655. ↩︎
- Pahwa R, Goyal A, Jialal I. Chronic Inflammation. [Updated 2023 Aug 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/ ↩︎
- Understanding the Silent Killer: A Revolutionary Guide to Hypertension. Human Health Co. (2024d, May 5). https://humanhealthco.com/understanding-the-silent-killer-a-revolutionary-guide-to-hypertension/ ↩︎
- Iakovou E, Kourti M. A Comprehensive Overview of the Complex Role of Oxidative Stress in Aging, The Contributing Environmental Stressors and Emerging Antioxidant Therapeutic Interventions. Front Aging Neurosci. 2022 Jun 13;14:827900. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.827900. PMID: 35769600; PMCID: PMC9234325. ↩︎
- Sinatra ST, Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Sinatra D. Electric Nutrition: The Surprising Health and Healing Benefits of Biological Grounding (Earthing). Altern Ther Health Med. 2017 Sep;23(5):8-16. PMID: 28987038. ↩︎
- Sinatra ST, Sinatra DS, Sinatra SW, Chevalier G. Grounding – The universal anti-inflammatory remedy. Biomed J. 2023 Feb;46(1):11-16. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2022.12.002. Epub 2022 Dec 15. PMID: 36528336; PMCID: PMC10105021. ↩︎
- Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Brown R. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res. 2015 Mar 24;8:83-96. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S69656. PMID: 25848315; PMCID: PMC4378297. ↩︎
- Oschman JL. Charge transfer in the living matrix. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2009 Jul;13(3):215-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2008.06.005. Epub 2008 Jul 30. PMID: 19524846. ↩︎