Grounding: What is it and how can it help me?
Grounding is scientifically proven to have physical health benefits that come almost immediately. And there's nothing to it. All you need to do is go outside, take your shoes off and just take in the air. Making skin contact with the earth is something that seems so simple, but can have a profound effect on your health. Whether you're just walking bare foot in the dirt, standing in a lake or the ocean, sitting or lying down in the grass, or doing some crazy yoga pose somewhere in nature, your body WILL thank you.
Simply put, you're absorbing the earths negative electric charge to help reverse your own atomic imbalances. This can help with sleep, pain management, stress, inflammation, mood, immunity and reducing free radicals in your body - almost instantly.
How?
Grounding can help improve sleep, manage pain, and normalize cortisol (a stress hormone) to reduce the stress response. The nervous system is an electrical system of the body which influences all of these activities. Absorbing negative electrons from the earth has been shown to calm the nervous system- by shifting the autonomic nervous system from the sympathetic, “fight-or-flight” branch toward the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” branch.
Knowing this, you can understand how the body can use the earths negative charge to rid itself of free radicals as well (an atom with an unbalanced charge- which leads to cell damage and a plethora of health problems). Sleep and stress reduction are extremely important when it comes to managing pain and decreasing the risks of many chronic health conditions. In a blind study, 60 subjects suffering from sleep problems and chronic muscle and joint pain, grounded each night for one month- they showed a 74-100 % improvement in quality of sleep, feeling rested upon waking, muscle stiffness and pain, chronic back and joint pain, and general well-being.
Grounding helps to establish a normal cortisol level at night, which improves sleep, pain, and stress. It can also lead to decreasing inflammation and boosting the immune system- both of which are negatively affected by high levels of cortisol.
Best methods?
The easiest way to ground is to simply walk on the ground in your bare feet. Moisture is also a great conductor: so wet grass, dirt, a beach or lake provides the best grounding experience. It's also good to know that leather, metal, cotton, and non-stained concrete are conductive. However, pavement, wood, plastic, rubber, synthetic or insulated materials will block the healthful negative charges from the earth.
So toss the shoes, get outside, and happy grounding!
With love,
Brie