with Tamara RoseAnswers · Everyday nervous system resets
The Benefits of Grounding for Your Mind, Body and Spirit
Life's whirlwind can sweep you so far from nature that you forget how good it feels to stand barefoot on the earth. Grounding, also called earthing, is the practice of reconnecting with the earth's natural energy through direct contact with the ground, and beyond its spiritual roots, research is beginning to show what it may do for your nervous system and your overall wellbeing.
What grounding is
Grounding simply means letting your bare skin touch the earth: walking barefoot on grass, sand or soil, sitting with your hands in the dirt or wading into a lake or the ocean. The idea, as researchers who study it describe, is that the earth's surface carries a mild negative charge, and direct contact lets your body take in free electrons that may help calm inflammation and stress.
Grounding and your nervous system
Our fast-paced, screen-heavy lives leave many of us overstimulated and on edge. A 2012 review in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health gathered the early research on grounding and reported improvements in sleep, a more balanced daily cortisol rhythm and a shift toward the calmer, parasympathetic side of the nervous system. An earlier 2004 pilot study of twelve people who slept grounded for eight weeks reported lower nighttime cortisol and less stress, pain and sleep trouble.
Time in nature lifts your spirit
Even apart from grounding itself, time outdoors does beautiful things for you. A 2019 University of Michigan study found that twenty to thirty minutes in a place that felt like nature lowered people's cortisol faster than the day's natural drop, and daylight is the main signal your body uses to set its internal clock. Grounding is a lovely excuse to get outside, put your phone away and breathe.
What it may do for your body
A small 2011 study linked grounding with improved heart rate variability, a marker of how well your nervous system adapts to stress, and a 2015 review in the Journal of Inflammation Research described how grounding may influence the body's inflammatory response. The research is still young, many studies are small, so think of grounding as a gentle, free practice that supports you rather than a treatment for any condition.
How to start grounding
- Go barefoot. Spend ten to twenty minutes on grass, sand or soil, standing, walking slowly or sitting.
- Breathe while you're there. Pair your grounding with a few slow breaths to deepen the calm.
- Try water. Wading in a lake, river or the ocean counts too.
- Make it daily. A few minutes most days does more than an hour once a month.
Keep exploring
- How do breath breaks reset your mind and body?
- Why stretch in the morning sunshine?
- What is energy clearing?
Common questions
What are the benefits of grounding?
Early research links grounding with better sleep, lower nighttime cortisol, improved heart rate variability and changes in inflammation. The studies are small, so it's best seen as a gentle, supportive daily practice.
How long should I ground each day?
Ten to twenty minutes of barefoot contact with grass, sand, soil or natural water is a good place to start.
Does grounding work through shoes?
Most shoes have rubber soles that block the contact, so bare skin on the earth is best. Leather soles and natural water are other options.
Sources
- 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.
- Ghaly, M., & Teplitz, D. (2004). The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
- Hunter, M. R., Gillespie, B. W., & Chen, S. Y., University of Michigan (2019). Urban nature experiences reduce stress in the context of daily life based on salivary biomarkers. Frontiers in Psychology.
- Blume, C., Garbazza, C., & Spitschan, M. (2019). Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie.
- Chevalier, G., & Sinatra, S. T. (2011). Emotional stress, heart rate variability, grounding, and improved autonomic tone. Integrative Medicine.
- Oschman, J. L., Chevalier, G., & Brown, R. (2015). The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Journal of Inflammation Research.
This article is for education and everyday wellbeing; it isn't medical advice. If you're struggling with your sleep, mood or health, please talk with a licensed professional. Keep reading: all answers · the free community · about Tamara Rose