What is Grounding ? Health Benefits, Resources & More
What is Grounding ?
Grounding or Earthing is directly connecting the human body to earths electrical energy & synchronizing with its natural frequencies. It is one of nature’s natural remedies for improving health and wellbeing and it is completely FREE.
How To Ground ?
Grounding is as easy as standing barefoot on soil, grass, sand and even in the sea. Touching the Earth with our hands & feet is the best way to ground as they are the most conductive parts of the human body. There are also grounding mats & patches that give the same effect as grounding.
Scientific studies have shown groundings positive effects on sleep, pain, heart rate variability, blood viscosity, blood pressure, immune response, muscle soreness, its anti-inflammatory effect, and more. This article will explain the Health Benefits we get from the electric connection with the Earth.
Health Benefits Of Grounding
Reduced Blood Viscosity | Reduced Red Blood Cell Aggregation
Blood Viscosity is the ‘thickness’ or ‘stickiness’ of the blood & Red Blood Cell (RBC) Aggregation is the ‘clumping’ together of red blood cells.
Grounding has been shown to increase the surface charge of RBC resulting in reduced blood viscosity and clumping. (1) (12) (14)
Why does this matter ?
It is important because it’s a direct indicator of the speed and ease with which blood can flow through your veins & arteries. If your blood is thick and sluggish (high blood viscosity) it is harder for your heart to pump blood throughout your body and can even cause damage to your veins and arteries.
Whereas optimum blood viscosity allows blood to flow freely throughout the body, reaching the organs and tissues it needs.
High blood viscosity is one of many factors associated with cardiovascular disorders. (1) (2) (3)
Improved Sleep
Grounding the body can improve sleep quality, lessen the time it takes to fall asleep and even help you feel ‘well rested’ upon waking.
In a controlled study involving 60 participants (22 male) & (38 females) who all declared having sleep problems, demonstrated that sleeping on a grounding mat showed improvement in overall sleep (4) (5)
85% showed improved ‘time to fall asleep’
93% reported improved ‘quality of sleep’
100% felt ‘well rested’ upon waking
A separate study measured cortisol levels during sleep and throughout the day in 12 participants. One component of the study was researching the correlation between cortisol levels and sleep disruption. (4)
The 12 participants slept on a grounding mat for 6 weeks;
The majority of the participants day-night cortisol levels showed improvement
11 of 12 participants reported falling asleep more quickly
All 12 reported waking up fewer times at night.
The study also found that sleeping grounded positively affected morning fatigue levels & daytime energy
Decreased Pain
Grounding reduces acute & chronic pain. The same controlled study above involving 60 participants (22 male) (38 female) that researched the effects of grounding on sleep also demonstrated that grounding the body can decrease pain.
The two particular pain symptoms the study measured were; (4)
Muscle Stiffness & Pain | 82% reported improvement
Chronic Back and/or Joint Pain | 74% reported improvement
A second study, assessing cortisol levels throughout the day in subjects who declared having symptoms of chronic pain, slept on grounding mats for 8 weeks and reported improved night-time pain levels along with other positive effects (6)
A third study combines 20 case studies researching the effects of clinical earthing on participants with a variety of complaints, one being pain. All 20 participants showed drastic reduction in pain using medical infrared thermography imaging. One particular woman stands out ! After 18 years of chronic knee pain, she completely recovered to race and finish a half-marathon. (9)
Lowers Blood Pressure | Hypertension
Grounding has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. (7)
10 people with hypertension (high blood pressure) volunteered for the first & only study of its kind. The researchers wanted to find out the effects of grounding on hypertension.
5 were taking blood pressure medication (2 patients reported reducing BP medication and 1 ceased medication altogether when reviewed at the final visit)
5 were advised to take medication but were reluctant and wanted to try other methods first
The study lasted several months and involved participants using a grounding mat for at least 10hrs a day and required them to measure blood pressure every other day and patients also had 4 “in office” visits throughout the study.
The study found that all patients had a ‘significant improvement’ in blood pressure. Patients BP levels decreased in a range from 8.6% to 22.7%, with an average decrease of 14.3%
These results show that grounding can be a potential therapy for high blood pressure and should encourage more research into it.
Improved Heart Rate Variability
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the time in-between each heartbeat & is measured in milliseconds. It is controlled by the autonomic nervous system & varies with age, as we get older our HRV seems to decline.
In recent years, it has become a popular health component to track for the average person due to the increased demand for health monitors such as the Whoop Band, Fitbit & Apple Watch.
Why does HRV matter ?
A high heart rate variability indicates that our body is in a state of ‘rest & repair’ mode
A low heart rate variability indicates our body is in ‘fight or flight’ mode in other words stressed/ anxious. Low HRV has been linked to a higher risk of Anxiety, Depression & Heart Disease.
Grounding has been shown to improve heart rate variability, thus supporting the cardiovascular system. (8)
A study grounded 28 participants (14 men) & (14 women) for 2 hours with one electrode patch on each of their hands and feet. Then the process was repeated without the subjects being grounded for 2 hours. After comparing results the researchers found that when grounded the subjects had a positive trend in HRV that kept improving all the way to the end of the 40-minute period, showing that grounding has the potential to support HRV.
Decreased Inflammation
Grounding has been demonstrated in multiple studies to significantly reduce inflammation.
It is presumed that the increase of free electrons that are transferred from the earth to the body neutralises free radicals (molecules produced by the body that can cause inflammation), thus drastically reducing inflammation.
In one particular study, Dr Amalu randomly recruited 20 patients who were experiencing a variety of problems such as Pain, Inflammation, Stiffness, Poor Sleep, Swelling and Non-Healing Wounds. (9)
Each patient was grounded using grounding mats or patches & every single person saw a dramatic improvement in symptoms after using them.
This study stands out because the researches also used Medical Infrared Thermography Imaging to visibly see the changes in inflammation within the body. When reviewing the linked study you can see the differences when comparing images prior to & after grounding. The visible changes are remarkable.
Covid 19 Symptoms
Covid 19 is an inflammatory respiratory virus. As a result of contracting the virus, many people get moderate to severe symptoms that only last for a short while for some or persist for weeks, months or even years for others, resulting in being diagnosed with ‘Long Covid’.
In 2020, an article discussing grounding as a promising modality for prevention & recovery of Covid 19 was published by C.Ober & JL.Oschman, who are advocates of grounding & have multiple published studies on the subject. (10)
Although there a little to no published studies showing the effects of grounding on Covid 19 symptoms & recovery, Oschman & Ober believe it could play a potential role in “preventing significant symptoms and also assist in recovery from the illness”.
In their own words they explain;
'‘ The critical reader will ask how we can recommend Earthing in the absence of the “gold standard” randomised clinical trials and FDA certification. The reason is simple: extensive study and feedback from those who use this approach have revealed that Earthing makes a dramatic difference in situations of respiratory distress, including those caused by severe asthma, allergies, COPD and flu. For example, feedback from a lawyer whose wife developed coronavirus symptoms: “A grounding patch on her chest has helped her immensely”
A study published by the University of Basrah College of Medicine observed the effects of grounding on 71 patients with Covid 19. The researcher HA.Mousa believes the subsequent anti-inflammatory effect, immunity enhancement, anticoagulation, rising blood oxygenation, and fever reducing effects from grounding could play a crucial in the prevention and recovery of Covid 19 symptoms.
They found that 69/71 participants symptoms were improved after implementing earthing. These symptoms were: fever, dyspnea, cough, weakness, headache, chest pain, taste and smell sensation loss, anorexia, and body pain.
Effects on Mood
We know that spending time in nature is linked to lowered stress levels, promoting a sense of calm, reduction in anxiety and improved mood. Now, to no surprise, grounding the human body is being shown to have a positive effect on mood also.
In a small double blind study involving 40 participants (only 29 participants results were used) they found that those who were grounded showed medium - significant improvement on 3 / 4 measuring scales for mood after just 1hr of grounding. The ungrounded participants showed no improvement. (11)
Although the research is limited to one small study, the positive results from the experiment show the potential effects grounding can have on mood and should encourage more research into the topic.
Reduced Muscle Soreness & Damage
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is pain and/or stiffness in the muscle after high intensity, strenuous exercise due to temporary muscle damage. It usually begins the day of the exercise or workout was completed and typically lasts 24 - 72hrs thereafter.
Grounding the body after this exercise may reduce the time of recovery from DOMS because of its anti-inflammatory effects and immune response. (13)
In a study involving 8 participants, 4 who were grounded compared to 4 participants who were not found that after comparing blood samples, cortisol levels, MRI’s and subjective pain, grounding seemed to speed up the recovery from DOMS enough to warrant further research and larger studies to be done.
A second study involving 32 subjects, researched the effects of grounding on people with muscle damage after intense exercise. 16 people were grounded while 16 were not for a 4 day period after the exercise block. They found that only the grounded group experienced changes in creatine kinase levels and other blood markers indicating reduced muscle damage. (15)
Influences Thyroid Function
Grounding the human body during night-time sleep influences thyroid function.
It increases concentrations of free T4 & TSH and decreases the level of free T3, all types of thyroid hormones which are essential for the function of the thyroid and processes in the human body (16). The mechanism as to why grounding effects thyroid function is unknown.
The Earthing Institute has many testimonials on their website from people who have overactive or under-active thyroid and have seen great improvement adding grounding to their daily and/or nightly routine. (17)
Here are some extracts from the testimonials;
“ I have been Earthing for 1 year and my thyroid values came back improved, and the pain I had in my knee for 40 years has also disappeared.”
“ After sleeping grounded for little more than a month I can report I have never slept more soundly. I now enjoy vivid, colourful, logical dreams. I don’t wake up stiff in the morning. I have more energy. This is a very big deal because I have Hashimoto’s Disease (autoimmune condition that effects the thyroid) and that can really zap your strength.”
“ I’ve had Hashimoto’s Disease for 30 years and before earthing my medication had slowly creeped up but since starting grounding in July last year, I’ve reduced it by 2/3.”
*Consult with your doctor before trying grounding for Thyroid Problems
Encourage Wound Healing
Grounding could have the potential to accelerate wound healing. The increase in blood flow and decrease in inflammation as a result of grounding is most likely the catalyst for faster healing.
In a case study (No.6) involving an 84 year old women with a 8 month old, non healing diabetic wound, grounding the woman showed great results (18). After just two weeks of using Electron Transfer Technology (grounding), the woman’s wound finally healed.
Another case study involving a cyclist who gouged his leg during the Tour De France used grounding patches above & below the wound to accelerate his healing. The cyclist experienced minimal pain, redness and swelling and completed the Tour.
Are There Any Side Effects ?
Grounding or earthing is virtually harmless while having incredible health benefits at the same time. Exercise caution and consult with your doctor if you are taking blood thinning or thyroid medication before trying grounding.
Useful Resources
Grounded.com
Grounding Equipment | Mats, Shoes, Socks, Sheets, Patches & More
TheEarthingInstitute.net
Researching Grounding & Publishing Studies | Testimonials, Courses, Information, Articles & More
The Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science Of Grounding
The Earthing Book
The Most Important Health Discover Ever
Get Grounded Get Well
Connect to the Earth to Improve Your Health, Wellbeing, and Energy
In Summary
I have mentioned various health benefits of Grounding / Earthing backed by scientific research, but there are many other benefits people are experiencing that science haven’t studied yet. In the book Earthing: The Most Important Discovery Ever, the authors reveal multiple testimonials from people having positive results using grounding with various conditions such as Autism, Menopause Symptoms, Stress, Insomnia, Diabetes etc. The possibilities of grounding seem endless and the positive feedback from people and positive studies should encourage more research into natures healing touch.