Treating Illness at its Root: The Healing Power of Earthing

By Lauren Burke

The simple fix behind a cure for fatigue, insomnia, and more. 

If you dig back far, far into your brain—a la elementary school and the awkward joys of middle school—you might remember the first time you learned that everything is made of something called matter.

And within this matter are tiny, swirling, electrically-charged particles called electrons (-), protons (+),  and neutrons (neutral).Ok, I get it—you didn’t come here to relive your middle school days. And especially not your middle school chemistry class days. So, I’ll cut to the chase: it’s this same elementary-level chemistry that’s behind “earthing,” a fast-growing eco-therapy being picked up by everyone from celebs to soccer moms. And its list of benefits? Almost too good to be true…

The healing power of earthing rests in an exchange of electrons, or electrical energy, between your body and the earth.

As we go through life, our bodies accumulate “free radicals,” positively-charged compounds that we pick up through contact with pollution, pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxic substances. While positive energy is usually a good thing, an excess of this kind of positive charge can actually be really destructive, causing inflammation that increases the risk of premature aging, chronic pain, heart disease and type-2 diabetes among other conditions.

Like many things in nature, Mother Earth developed a clever trick to fix this dangerous imbalance: Earth’s surface has a negative charge that instantly neutralizes the positive charge of the body, bringing it back to a grounded state and drastically reducing inflammation.

It sounds like the perfect system…except for the fact that many of our modern conveniences disrupt this natural flow of energy between the body and the earth.

Our shoes, homes, and personal electronics can block us from receiving the balancing energy that we need, or worse, introduce even more destructive currents into the mix. As a result, the positive charge in our bodies builds up, inflammation increases, and illnesses snowball.

Enter earthing, the process of deliberately connecting to the earth’s bounty of healing, grounding electrons. In its simplest form, the only things you need to do earthing correctly are bare feet and a patch of earth—even concrete will do, as long as it isn’t treated. And just fifteen to thirty minutes of “grounded time” each day can produce results.

But for those with an already packed schedule or who live in densely-populated areas, it can be hard to find the time and the place for even a short session of earthing.

Luckily, many companies have developed earthing mats, blankets, and other devices that plug into electrical sockets to deliver that balancing flow of electrons wherever you are.

Stuck at the office but need relief from the static energy? Try a discrete earthing mat, which fits underneath your desk and can ground you through even the most hectic of days. If you’re moving around for most of the day, you might want to check out grounded sleep pads. Placed on top of the mattress, these pads deliver all of the benefits of earthing without you lifting a finger—or losing a wink of sleep.

For the low to moderate level of effort that earthing requires, it delivers an incredible list of health benefits.

Not only does the grounding effect of earthing decrease inflammation and inflammation-related diseases in the body, but it can improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and promote an overall sense of wellbeing. It can even affect the viscosity of your blood—yes, the actual thickness of your blood—with a natural blood-thinning affect. This reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and improves circulation, contributing to a youthful, rosy glow. Plus, many professional athletes are known to sleep grounded or use grounded post-workout wraps to speed up their recovery times.

If someone who makes a living out of being incredibly fit trusts earthing to keep them going, then imagine what it can do for the average person.

If you weren’t a star student in middle school chemistry class, and don’t want to start understanding now, don’t sweat it. The great part of earthing is that it’s pretty simple to get started—and works whether or not you understand the science behind it. Just sit back, relax, get grounded, and feel the magic.