Each week, Samantha Lewis shares her insights on various topics, from exploring new health trends to re-imagining personal growth.
In recent years, grounding — or earthing — has gained popularity as a wellness practice.
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The concept is simple: by making direct physical contact with the Earth — either by walking barefoot on grass, soil, or sand, or by using conductive systems indoors — one can reportedly improve both physical and mental health.
To some, it may sound like new-age pseudoscience, but after adopting this free and easy practice over a year ago, I am completely sold.
Grounding is not just another wellness fad, and I’ve found myself fascinated by the incredible science behind it.
Surprisingly, a growing body of research suggests grounding is more than just “woo-woo”.
In fact, it may offer genuine physiological benefits, from reducing inflammation to improving sleep and reducing stress.
The Earth’s surface holds a subtle electric charge, and grounding connects our bodies to it — literally.
And this isn’t just theoretical.
Grounding is based on well-understood principles of physics and biology.
The human body is an electrical system.
Our heart, brain and cells communicate using electrical signals.
We’re constantly exposed to free radicals — unstable molecules with unpaired electrons — that can cause inflammation and oxidative stress.
When our bodies are grounded, they can absorb free electrons from the Earth, which may neutralise these free radicals.
This process, known as “electron transfer”, is similar to grounding electrical appliances.
Just as grounding protects your laptop from power surges, it may protect your body from internal ‘surges’ of inflammation.
In a 2012 study published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health, researchers found that grounding significantly reduced blood viscosity — a key factor in cardiovascular disease.
Other studies report reductions in cortisol levels (the primary stress hormone), improvements in mood and better sleep patterns among those who practice regular grounding.
One of the most compelling areas of grounding research relates to inflammation, which is at the root of many chronic illnesses, including arthritis, heart disease and even cancer.
In clinical trials, subjects who were grounded overnight showed reduced markers of inflammation and improved healing responses.
In one pilot study, people with chronic pain who slept on grounding mats reported significant pain relief and reduced morning stiffness.
Thermographic imaging (which shows heat and inflammation) has visually documented these changes.
While more large-scale research is needed, the early findings are promising.
Mental health is intricately connected to physical health, and grounding may provide a direct line to better emotional wellbeing.
When we’re grounded, cortisol levels drop and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system activity increases. In simple terms, grounding helps your body relax.
We are constantly bombarded with artificial electromagnetic fields, stressors and a breakneck pace that keeps us disconnected — both literally and metaphorically — from the natural world.
Grounding reverses that trend by reintroducing our body to a natural, calming frequency.
People who ground regularly often report feeling more present, less anxious and more emotionally stable.
This isn’t surprising, given what we know about nature’s effects on the brain.
Numerous studies show that spending time in nature reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Grounding amplifies this connection.
Perhaps one of grounding’s greatest strengths is its simplicity.
Unlike expensive supplements or high-tech health gadgets, grounding is free, natural and accessible to nearly everyone.
A 30-minute barefoot walk in the park, lying on a beach, or sitting with your feet on the grass can offer the benefits.
For those in urban environments or cold climates, conductive grounding mats and sheets are available to simulate direct Earth contact indoors.
I am quick to admit that I barely had to think about grounding during the warmer months.
Now, in the depths of winter, when I catch my anxiety creeping in, I force myself to whip the shoes and socks off and get on to the grass — even just for a minute.
I so strongly acknowledge the positive results that I withstand cold temperatures for the beneficial stress relief.
I’m certainly not claiming the practice of grounding will miraculously cure medical conditions.
However, dismissing it as pseudoscience does a disservice to both the scientific research and the ancient wisdom that has long emphasised human connection to nature.
Our ancestors didn’t need peer-reviewed journals to know that being in contact with the Earth felt good and was good for them.
Today, science is catching up with that intuition.
We’re only beginning to understand how disconnecting from the Earth’s natural energy may affect our health — and how reconnection might help restore it.
In a world of rising stress, chronic illness and digital overload, perhaps the remedy is right beneath our feet. Grounding isn’t just barefoot nostalgia or spiritual fluff.
It’s a low-risk, evidence-supported way to reconnect — literally and figuratively — with the Earth.
And that’s not “woo-woo”. That’s wellness.
• For information go to liferegenerated.com.au or stay updated follow on Instagram: @life.regenerated
Samantha