Earth Day 2023 is typically seen as a day to remind ourselves to take care of our one and only, truly amazing Planet Earth. We’d like to suggest that it’s also a perfect day to remind human beings everywhere that taking care of the planet starts first with taking care of yourself.
What better way to do that than by connecting your body to the earth through a practice known as “earthing” – also known as “grounding.”
What is Earthing?
According to earthing.com, the surface of the Earth is rich with an abundance of mobile electrons that infuse the very ground we walk on with a natural negative electric charge. “When you touch your body to the ground, it dissipates static electricity and extraneous environmental electrical charges that are on you. At the same time, you receive a charge of energy in the form of free electrons and your body synchronizes with the natural frequencies of the earth.”
Sounds like earthing might feel pretty good, doesn’t it? But is it good for you?
Is Earthing Good for You?
A review article shared by the “Journal of Environmental and Public Health” titled
Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Bodyto the Earth’s Surface Electrons, stated that “emerging scientific research has revealed a surprisingly positive and overlooked environmental factor on health: direct physical contact with the vast supply of electrons on the surface of the Earth.
Modern lifestyle separates humans from such contact. The research suggests that this disconnect may be a major contributor to physiological dysfunction and unwellness. Reconnection with the Earth’s electrons has been found to promote intriguing physiological changes and subjective reports of well-being.
Earthing (or grounding) refers to the discovery of benefits—including better sleep and reduced pain—from walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems that transfer the Earth’s electrons from the ground into the body.”
The article was published in 2011 – twelve years ago. Since then, the “earthing” movement has gathered momentum and gained popularity, with celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow heralding the benefits and journalists and media outlets covering the topic with increased frequency.
According this USA Today article, the topic is trending powerfully on the popular social media platform TikTok, with 66+ million views associated with #earthing and 199 million views associated with #grounding.
What Are the Purported Benefits of Earthing or Grounding?
Though there are not a great deal of scientific studies on the topic, many people believe that connecting with the Earth with one’s bare feet can have positive physical and mental results, and provide a natural counterbalance to the effects of chronic stress, inflammation, generalized body pain, poor sleep, even cardiovascular challenges and other major diseases.
Adding the practice of earthing (walking on the ground in bare feet) is a great addition to Dr. Dave’s Unifying Theory for healthy behaviors. If you’re interested in the supplements he recommends in the video, check out his special “Ultimate Stack.”
How to Practice Earthing
Earthing is easy: it’s about “grounding” yourself quite literally to the ground.
- Go to a relatively clean dirt or grassy area of your lawn, park, or forest. You might be able to simply open the back or front door of your home and step outside.
- Remove socks and shoes.
- Plant your feet firmly onto the Earth.
- Breathe deeply and focus your attention on the feeling of your feet in connection with the ground.
- Continue standing or take a short walk, maintaining an awareness of your physical connection to the Earth with each step you take.
- When you’re ready to stop earthing, take a moment to check in with your body and see how you’re feeling. There’s a good chance you’ll feel calmer, more serene, and rested. Why do you think dogs are so happy when they’re romping around the backyard!?
That’s all there is too it.
Can Earthing Improve Your Health?
In hypothesizing about whether or not a regular practice of earthing might serve as a point of disruption in the development of chronic degenerative diseases, the journal review article referenced earlier concludes with the following:
Could such an intervention be located right beneath our feet? Earthing research, observations, and related theories raise an intriguing possibility about the Earth’s surface electrons as an untapped health resource—the Earth as a “global treatment table.” Emerging evidence shows that contact with the Earth—whether being outside barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems—may be a simple, natural, and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic stress, ANS dysfunction, inflammation, pain, poor sleep, disturbed HRV, hypercoagulable blood, and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease. The research done to date supports the concept that grounding or earthing the human body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunshine, clean air and water, nutritious food, and physical activity.
How Earthing Benefits Our Planet
Forming a closer connection to the Earth will naturally lead to increased reverence for all the Earth offers, creates, and does for human beings. As our appreciation for the many wonders of the Earth deepens, so will our commitment to caring for the wondrous beauty and bountiful gifts of this planet we call home.