Remember how amazing it felt running around barefoot in the backyard as a kid? How about the relaxation of taking a long walk on the beach?
This feeling isn't coincidental at all. It comes from the act of grounding.
What is grounding? Also known as "earthing, grounding is receiving the electrical charge from the earth. The earth has millions of free radicals, so when our skin comes in contact with the earth, those electrons flow between the earth and our bodies. Think about it, we are energetic beings coming into contact with the energetic earth! It only makes sense that there is a connection.
As great as all of this sounds, the human race has slowly but surely disconnected from this amazing tool. Think about a day in the life of an average human in the present day. They wake up, throw their house slippers on, make breakfast, change into shoes, head to work by car, work inside all day, head home, make dinner, and go to sleep. At no point are they barefoot or even outside for more than 5 minutes. Most people go weeks or even months before getting their skin in contact with the earth!
So how can we use this amazing tool to our benefit you may ask. One of two options.
Option #1: By simply going outside and getting your skin in contact with the earth. Put your hands and feet on the grass, the sand, a tree, or soil. Go on a walk in the park, your backyard, or the beach and try to ground for a minimum of 30 minutes to maximize the benefits!
Option #2: Use grounding tools. If you do not have access to nature, there are tons of awesome products to utilize inside your home. You can use anything from grounding mats to earthing shoes.
What are the benefits of grounding?
#1) It can help relieve inflammation.
The following images show a 44-year-old woman with chronic back pain, as monitored by thermography. The left image was taken before grounding. The red spots represent areas of any pain and inflammation. The right image shows a clear reduction in inflammation after 4 nights of sleeping grounded, at which time the woman reported:
30% reduction in pain
70% reduction in pain interfering with sleep
30% reduction in morning stiffness and soreness
After four weeks, she reported:
80% reduction in pain
No sleep interference
70% reduction in morning stiffness and soreness
By eight weeks, she said her pain was gone (Chopra, 2019).
#2) It can reduce stress levels.
Grounding has been shown to normalize cortisol levels, which is our "fight or flight" hormone. Cortisol regulates a wide range of processes in the body, including metabolism and the immune system. When our cortisol is too high or too low, it can cause a slew of symptoms.
In the graphic below, the study clearly shows how impactful and beneficial grounding can be in normalizing cortisol levels.
#3) It can improve circulation.
When grounding, your circulation improves which will maintain healthy blood and oxygen flow throughout the body and allow your lungs, heart, and muscles to function optimally. This can ward off illness and allow your white blood cells to be transported throughout the body as needed. In the photo below, you can see the difference in circulation before grounding to the left and after grounding to the right.
Now that you have the information, go out and get charged up! We have this powerful tool right outside, it's time we started using it. Reconnect with the earth and bring yourself back into balance.
For more information on the scientific research done, check out these studies done.
https://earthinginstitute.net/research/
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