With our smartphone addictions and digital stresses at an all-time high in the U.S., a lot of folks in wellness spheres have been talking about “digital detoxing” and the important, now more than ever, of returning to nature. However, sitting outside on your patio while browsing through Instagram or listening to a podcast might not be enough. It’s time for you to consider when the last time you truly connected to the earth was.
The practice of Grounding, or Earthing, relies on the truth of that connecting to the energy of our planet is beneficial for our minds, souls, and bodies. Grounding is more than simply walking barefoot—it’s a way of replenishing ourselves as we reconvene with our creation source, our planet.
According to Grounding experts, the process of walking barefoot can help neutralize free radicals in our body, by accessing an abundant supply of free electrons in the earth. These electrons aid our bodies in similar ways to antioxidants by helping to deter damage created by other toxins in our daily lives. Because our natural bodies are composed primarily of water and minerals, it makes sense that reconnecting with the earth’s water and minerals would strengthen us.
Members of the Grounding community swear by its powerful healing effects when it comes to a bevy of lifestyle ails, such as insomnia, mood disorders, inflammation, joint or bone pain, fatigue, and many more. Grounding has been shown to help rebalance our energies and stresses, by promoting calmness in the body and cooling down the nervous system.
A few more benefits of Grounding may include:
- Reducing or eliminating chronic pain
- Improving quality of sleep
- Normalizing the body’s biological rhythms
- Relieve muscle tension
- Alleviate headaches
- Lessening hormonal or menstrual symptoms
- Fighting back jet lag
- Accelerate recovery from athletic soreness
Getting started with a Grounding routine is simple. All it takes is the decision to take your shoes off and head outdoors for half an hour. Spend thirty minutes walking or standing barefoot in grass, dirt, or sand and see if the effects start to wash over you. It’s difficult to argue that spending some time outdoors in nature, without the distractions of a phone or computer, could be anything but powerfully healing for our toxically stressed minds.
