By: @inceipek1
Earthing therapy (also called grounding) is a therapeutic technique that seeks to harness the power of the earth’s electrical charges. Planet earth has an endless supply of free electrons, so when a person is grounded (i.e. has skin-to-skin contact with the earth), those electrons effortlessly stream between the earth and the body. This reduces free radicals and removes any static electrical charge. Historically, people used to sleep on the ground and walk barefoot but today, most of our everyday apparel and shoes create a barrier between us and the Earth’s energy.
Even though grounding is currently an under-researched topic, scientific research thus far suggests that your body can reap an abundance of benefits by electrically reconnecting to the Earth. Multi-disciplinary research has revealed that electrically conductive contact of the human body with the surface of the Earth produces intriguing effects on one’s physiology and health. Such effects relate to inflammation, immune responses, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. When grounded, the diurnal rhythm (i.e. biological rhythm that is synchronized with the day/night cycle) of cortisol begins to normalize. Your circulation improves, increasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues in your body, including better blood flow to your face. Researchers believe that through grounding, the natural defenses of the body can be reestablished.
With the fast-paced life we’re living as human beings, grounding therapy is needed now more than ever for all its physical, mental and spiritual benefits. It is a very simple practice that can be accomplished both indoors and outdoors.
How to Practice Grounding:
1. Go outdoors and place your bare feet and hands directly on the earth. Walking barefoot for 30 minutes or so outside will have a huge difference on your pain and stress levels. Sit, stand, or walk on soil, grass, sand, or concrete. Wood, asphalt and vinyl are not conductive.
2. Indoor options for grounding, which can be used while sleeping, relaxing, or working include: conductive chairs, bed pads, floor and chair mats, body bands, and patches to place on your body where it hurts.
3. Water may be used to ground in the same way the physical earth is used for grounding. Simply wading in a clear lake or swimming in the ocean can be used as a method of grounding.
