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The Green & Yellow Wire
Exploring the Science Behind Grounding and its Benefits
Abstract:
1. It’s theorised that free electrons absorbed into the body through direct contact with the Earth neutralise chemically reactive molecules that are linked to oxidative stress and various chronic diseases and aging.
2. Grounding, otherwise known as Earthing, is the practice of reconnecting yourself to the Earth. Examples of this include walking barefoot on the ground, laying on the ground during a picnic or taking a dip at the beach.
3. Studies have shown numerous potential benefits from grounding practices, including but not limited to:
- falling asleep quicker and staying asleep throughout the night
- chronic pain relief
- better management of stress and cortisol
- improved recovery and mood
4. Although the published research is promising, more work needs to be done to be able to provide a definitive protocol and isolate the benefits of grounding.
5. We should all make an effort to immerse ourselves in nature. Whilst soaking up sun rays or breathing in fresh air, make an effort to get some skin-to-earth and see how it might benefit you.
This weeks ‘Espresso’ drops some knowledge on keeping your mind sharp into old age, 10 drinks to drop cholesterol and harmful habits holding you back.
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, a potential surprisingly beneficial global resource for health, disease prevention and therapy is right under our feet.
In previous releases we’ve highlighted the importance of the orb that flies around in the sky for so many of our biological processes and mood - so what about this rock that we spend our entire lives on?
The Earth’s surface is electrically conductive, and its negative potential is sustained by the global atmospheric electrical circuit. It’s theorised that free electrons absorbed into the body through direct contact with the Earth neutralise chemically reactive molecules that are linked to oxidative stress and various chronic diseases and aging.
It’s no secret that chronic illnesses, immune disorders and inflammatory diseases have seen a dramatic rise in recent decades. Whilst lifestyle and dietary factors are culprits, emerging scientific research suggests that we can utilise the Earth’s surface to induce physiological changes, such as reduced pain, improved sleep, reduced inflammation, managed stress, swifter recovery and more.
Grounding, otherwise known as Earthing, is the practice of reconnecting yourself to the Earth.
Its important to note in this instance we’re talking about a physical grounding practice as opposed to the ‘internal’ grounding practices used to treat mental health issues.
There are many ways to incorporate grounding - here are some common methods:
WALKING BAREFOOT
One of the easiest and most natural ways to ground yourself is to walk barefoot. Whether it’s on grass, sand, or even mud, allow your skin to touch the natural ground.
LAYING ON THE GROUND
Increase the skin-to-earth contact by lying on the ground. This can be laying on the grass for a picnic or sun bathing on a sandy beach.
WATER SUBMERSION
Wading in a clear lake or taking a dip in the ocean can also be used to ground yourself.
With any and all of these techniques, always stay safe and take proper precautions to ensure safety and avoid injury.
GROUNDING EQUIPMENT
For many of us outdoor grounding isn’t terribly feasible or easy to incorporate into daily life.
In absence of using our environment, grounding advocates suggest that grounding equipment can help. These include mats, sheets, blankets and bands that connect the body to Earth or some form of ground such as through a plug in your household.
We get it, it sounds a little ‘out there’. What does the science say on Grounding?
The Journal of Environmental and Public Health did a comprehensive review of studies and findings to further investigate the possible benefits of grounding.
SLEEP AND CHRONIC PAIN
In a blinded (meaning the participants didn’t know which group they were in) study, 60 subjects suffering from sleep disturbances and chronic pain for at least 6 months participated in a month-long experiment.
The results showed most grounded subjects experienced improvements to their symptoms whereas most in the control group did not.
Some of the subjects even reported significant relief for conditions such as asthma, respiratory issues, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea, and hypertension while sleeping grounded.
SLEEP, STRESS, PAIN AND CORTISOL
A study with 12 subjects dealing with sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress reported that grounding during sleep for eight weeks led to marked improvements.
(a) Wide range of cortisol secretion profiles prior to grounding (b) Realignment and normalisation of trend patterns following 6 weeks of grounded sleeping
Eleven participants fell asleep more quickly, all experienced fewer night awakenings, and reported reduced morning fatigue, increased daytime energy, and lower nighttime pain levels.
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
A randomised, double-blind study (neither the participants nor the researchers knew which group the participants were in) involving 58 healthy adults revealed that grounding significantly affects brain and muscle electrical activity, blood flow, and stress levels.
Key findings included immediate changes in electrical activity in the brain, electrical activity in the muscles, and blood flow, indicating a reduction in stress and a shift towards parasympathetic (relaxation) activation.
PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVATION & HRV
A study with 28 adults showed that grounding led to immediate and significant changes in physiological measures:
skin conductance dropped immediately, suggesting rapid activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (calming the body)
respiratory rate increased whilst the subjects were grounding and remained elevated post-grounding suggesting a healing response being initiated
blood oxygen levels stabilised whilst grounding
In simpler terms, the results appear to suggest grounding quickly calms the body’s stress responses and may initiate a healing process by increasing oxygen consumption and improving blood flow.
A separate study with 27 participants demonstrated that grounding significantly improves Heart Rate Variability (HRV), the measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat.
Improved HRV during grounded sessions suggests better regulation of the heart by the nervous system, indicating a shift towards parasympathetic activation and better cardiovascular health during stress.
RECOVERY
A study involved 8 men performing strenuous exercise to induce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS or the soreness you feel the day after lifting). Afterward they were monitored for a week, maintaining a consistent lifestyle in a hotel.
The results indicate that grounding significantly reduced inflammation and pain associated with DOMS. Grounded participants also had lower white blood cell counts, indicating less inflammation, and reported significantly less pain and faster recovery times.
MOOD
Whilst the previous research has focused on the physical benefits of grounding, a 2015 study has explored its potential impact on mood.
40 adults were either grounded or part of the placebo group for one hour while relaxing in a comfortable recliner chair.
Grounded participants experienced statistically significant improvements in pleasant and positive moods compared to those who were sham-grounded, suggesting that grounding may have mood-enhancing effects beyond relaxation alone.
Further research is needed to explore the full scope of grounding's impact on mental well-being.
Its important to maintain a balanced approach to science and review some of the shortcomings and potential criticisms of grounding and the research that has taken place to date.
It should be noted that these studies are small - where some of the research we looked at in previous editions had thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of data points, all of the studies published above have < 100 participants.
Some of the journals where this research has been published are not so called ‘blue ribbon’ journals - being ones most highly regarded in the scientific community. That is NOT to diminish the science or work of the researchers but to comment that more work needs to be done to understand whether grounding can be isolated as the sole reason for such profound impacts on health, with studies suggesting that it can reduce inflammation and pain, improve sleep and stress levels, enhance cardiovascular health and mood.
Quite often we try to isolate elements of our environment and attribute benefits. Not only that, we try to then obtain said benefits through artificial means (e.g. bright lights to emulate the sun).
The answer to the question, ‘Is nature beneficial for our mental and physical health’ is a resounding YES. Simply put, we should try to immerse ourselves in nature as often as possible, and avoid trying to attribute specific benefits to singular practices.
That being said however, assuming most other aspects in life are dialed in like diet, exercise, sleep, sunlight, etc. it’s worth exploring practices such as grounding to benefit our mental and physical wellbeing and optimise performance.
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