What is this New "Earthing" Trend All About?

What is Earthing?

Right now there's a big buzz on the internet about "Earthing". Back in 2019 a documentary came out called "The Earthing Movie" which talks about the "remarkable science of grounding", or basically spending time in nature barefoot to ground yourself with the earth, which allegedly has a number of benefits to our health. Despite being over four years old, for some reason the documentary has seen a resurgence in popularity and is being heavily talked about online with many people trying "Earthing" for the first time.

Earhing, also commonly referred to as "Grounding" involves making direct physical contact with the Earth's surface, normally by walking barefoot on the grass, soil, sand or in a stream or other body of water. Advocates claim earthing has a variety of benefits. Is earthing legit? While there is still emerging scientific study in the area it does seem earthing may hold some benefits. 

How Does One Practice Earthing?

Earthing is basically just making physical contact with the Earth. One of the most common ways is walking barefoot. First find a natural surface, it could be grass, soil, sand or even a river, stream, lake or ocean. Take your shoes off and walk on the surface or in the water. Try to make direct contact between your skin and the ground.

You can also do "Earthing" by sitting or lying down, again insuring direct skin contact with the earth. Other people practice earthing by swimming in natural bodies of water, the water providing a conduit for grounding. 

And in todays world of course some have managed to commercialize making contact with nature with some online shops and sellers selling earthing products which claim to help facilitate earthing indoors, things like earthing mats, sheets, wrist bands and even conductive shoes. Fortunately you don't need to pay to connect with nature and can do this in your backyard, a local park or a swimming hole. 

What Are The Benefits of Earthing?

Whether there's scientific studies to back it up or not, I think most of us instinctively know there's something special about spending time in nature and connecting with nature. Unless your the random odd Redditor who finds nature makes you uneasy and may even make you cry, most people find nature to be calming and relaxing.

So what are the purported benefits of "Earthing"? Reconnecting with nature is a big benefit. Many people find spending time in nature, specifically making physical contact with the earth makes them feel more grounded and connected to the natural world and a great way to counterbalance the increasingly indoor and urbanized lifestyles most people live.

Earthing also helps to reduce stress and anxiety with proponents of this practice suggesting it can help to reduce stress levels and promote relaxation. There is even research suggesting that spending time in nature in general can have a positive effect on mood and mental wellbeing. In addition to relaxing there's also studies which have explored the benefit of earthing helping to improve sleep, even suggesting that it may help to regulate circadian rhythms and improve sleep patters.

One of the biggest touted benefits about earthing is that many say it helps to reduce inflammation in the body and there is some preliminary research suggesting that grounding may have anti-inflammatory effects. It's believed that direct contact with the Earth's surface may help to facilitate the transfer of electrons which may help to neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body. 

 Lastly many claim that earthing helps to alleviate pain and discomfort in the body by reducing inflammation and improving circulation. 

How Do I Get Started Earthing?

So you want to get started earthing, it's pretty simple to do. There's nothing you need to buy, simply find a place in nature or outdoors you want to spend some time. It could be your backyard, a local park or forest preserve or a swimming hole, but find a place and go make contact with the earth either by taking a walk barefoot or even just sitting or lying down. 

How long should you ground each day? Some people find relief in as little as 10 minutes but typically 20-30 minutes is recommended per day to reap the benefits of earthing.

Author

John has been helping people in the fitness and nutrition industry for over 10 years. He is an avid biker, hiker and fitness enthusiast. Most notably, you can find him on Youtube instructing viewers about the newest products to hit the supplement industry.

John Frigo