Maybe The ‘Bio Hackers’ Are Right, Grounding Is Pretty Great

by Amy Oshier August 17, 2022, 1:54 pm 21 Comments

I was going through a stressful time about a year ago — juggling a lot of balls in the air, not sure which ones to let fall to the ground. My friend Barbara suggested I take off my shoes and walk out to the backyard. Skim the pool, pull some weeds, or just sit on the grass, she said. Get grounded into the Earth. I did. And I liked it. Even started making it a daily habit. It was my new secret weapon, or so I thought.

Turns out grounding or Earthing, which is the term some people use, is having a larger moment, though. Just check out TikTok. At last check, the hashtag #grounding racked up more than 200 million views and #earthing has about 67 million hits on the social media platform. So a new generation is rediscovering something humans have inherently done since the beginning of time: enjoying Mother Nature with no barriers. Bare feet, grass, maybe sand. Just you and the world.

I know what I get out of it, which is the simple pleasure of feeling the ground beneath my feet. The subtle difference between blades of grass and moist dirt. Stepping on a rock or twig every once in a while. There is something really refreshing about breaking the confines of shoes. It forces you to slow down.

But if you want to dig down beyond just a feeling of refreshment, the grounding concept has deep roots. The put-your-toes-in-the-sand concept may carry tangible health benefits. True enthusiasts believe that walking barefoot, sitting, working, or sleeping outdoors transfers the Earth’s electrons from the ground into the body. It has an equalizing or balancing effect, they say, which helps fight inflammation. Plus, holistic medical practitioners claim it combats insomnia, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and anxiety to boot.

And the greatest thing about this wellness trend? It costs absolutely nothing. Nada. Zilch. Or you can lean in and invest in some fancy equipment that helps your shoes mimic the effects of grounding throughout the day.

Whatever you decide, there’s no wrong way to ground yourself. Like any other helpful modality, you just have to make the time to do it daily if you can. Add it to your growing repertoire of 247Health tricks, and soon you’ll have a whole new lifestyle without even noticing you “changed” yourself.