Has anyone ever told you to go outside and touch some grass and smell the roses? Oftentimes, they may have meant it in a figurative way, suggesting that you should take a break from whatever is consuming you and appreciate nature.
There is also a literal meaning to the phrase, this is called earthing (also known as grounding). Psychologist Susan Albers shared with the Cleveland Clinic’s Health Essentials what good earthing does for your physical and mental health.
Dr. Albers states that earthing involves direct skin contact with the Earth’s surface, such as feet or hands, to balance electrical energy. The theory is that our electrical energy is balanced when we make a physical connection to the earth. Susan claims that experts believe that our footwear is partially to blame for the increase in chronic illnesses. “They point out that we’ve just recently started wearing shoes with rubber soles, which don’t conduct electricity. So, part of the argument is that we’ve removed that contact from the earth, which is making us unwell.”
Modern earthing is a twist on traditional Chinese medicine therapy, indigenous cultures, and religions that require people to be barefoot for energy flow. It gained popularity on social media in 2022, explains the psychologist.
The medical information and health publication, Healthline, shared different ways of earthing. They are:
- Walking barefoot
- Lying on the ground
- Surmising in water
- Using earthing equipment such as earthing mats, socks, bed sheets or blankets, shoes and bands or patches.
Reasons that you should consider earthing, according to the doctor mentioned above are:
Reduces stress: Earthing has proven to reduce stress and provide more energy. Additionally, studies have shown that participating in earthing activities can reduce your anxiety and despair, and enhance your quality of sleep.
Lessens inflammation: The Moving Paradigm publication states that inflammation is a factor in 90% of all chronic health disorders that affect us. The publication reported that “One of the easiest methods to deal with that is to ground yourself,” suggesting that earthing helps in reducing inflammation.
Reduces chronic pain: A study by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) found that those who used grounding patches reported lower pain levels.
Helps with sleep disorders: The above study also proved that there is an increase in the duration of sleep in participants of earthing therapy and a decrease in sleep disruptions.
Helps with heart related disease: Results of one treatment, according to the NLM, proved that long-term self-administered grounding therapy helped to reduce blood pressure levels in participants with hypertension.
Also see: How to safeguard your plants when relocating
