Have you ever wondered why you feel so relaxed, or why you sleep so well when you go to the beach? One reason is because of the contact you have with the earth when you put your bare feet in the sand.
In our modern world, we are surrounded by electrical fields from the wiring in our homes, cell phones, and wireless devices. Because the human body is mostly water and minerals, we are excellent conductors of this voltage in our bodies. Most people walk around in synthetically-soled shoes, which act as insulators from the earth. Even when we walk outside, we never come into direct contact with the surface of the earth and therefore continue to carry around this electrical charge.
Research by Clint Ober and other scientists are finding that this extra voltage on the body contributes to stress, poor sleep patterns, elevated cortisol, inflammation, oxidative stress, pain, etc… Being in contact with the earth is a part of the natural state of living things throughout history, and this separation from the earth is not natural. When we connect with the ground without shoes on, we ground ourselves and allow this excess electrical charge to drain off us. We are all exposed to excessive electromagnetic fields (EMF) and grounding will reduce the effects of EMF fields on the body. As little as 20-30 minutes of direct contact with the earth can have a profound effect on aches and pains, sore muscles, anxiety, tension and stress, jet lag, and insomnia.
Cortisol is an adrenal hormone associated with stress, inflammation, and sleep dysfunction. Chronic elevation of cortisol levels can disrupt circadian rhythms, which in turn contributes to a multitude of health conditions, such as sleep disorders, hypertension, heart disease, decreased immune response, mood disturbances, autoimmune disease, and abnormal glucose levels. A study by Maurice Ghaly, M.D. found that grounding patients to the earth while sleeping on a specific grounded mattress pad resulted in significant improvements in cortisol levels (an average of 38% lower!). Sleep dysfunction, pain, and stress were also reduced or eliminated. Patients reported that they fell asleep more quickly, woke up less during the night, and felt more refreshed upon waking in the morning. Most reported significant reductions in pain, and less emotional stress, such as anxiety, depression, or irritability.
Jeffery Spencer, a chiropractor and specialist in athletic recovery and performance, is the chiropractor for Lance Armstrong and the U.S. team participating in the Tour de France. He utilizes a variety of modalities to keep the team healthy during the race. Due to the physical stress of the race, many cyclists have trouble sleeping, have elevated cortisol, tendonitis, slow wound healing, etc…In Jeff’s view, the missing link for these athletes is sleep. Sleep is the time when growth hormone stimulates the body to repair itself, metabolic wastes are taken care of, and oxidative stress is neutralized. Sleep involves many processes that bring the body back to baseline, so it is ready to meet the demands of the new day at full capacity. When athletes don’t sleep well, there is increased risk of injury, illness, and diminished performance.
When Jeff started implementing a special grounded mattress pad for the cyclists, he found their sleep was universally improved, tendonitis was virtually eliminated, wounds healed faster, performance was significantly improved, and recovery from exertions and injuries of the previous day was much quicker.
Virtually every process in the body involves electrical activity. The brain, the heart, the muscles, lymphatic and glandular systems produce and respond to electrical signals. All of these biological systems are affected by grounding ourselves to the earth, resulting in lower stress levels, relaxation, and better sleep.
One of the best things to improve your health is to go outside, take off your shoes, and stand on the ground. You could also grab a thin blanket and lie down on the ground for 30 minutes. You will feel the stress and tension drain from your body. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s free. The more you can be connected to the earth, the better you will feel, and the healthier you will be.
For more information or to purchase grounding pads, see the Earthing website and the book, Earthing by Clinton Ober.
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What a novel concept. I never would have thought that we needed some sort of connection with the earth for discharging energy. Makes sense though.