These days, doesn’t it seem like there are just too many ways to stay in a stressed-out state of mind? Turn on the news. Check the ol’ inbox – that’s all you need to do. Whether it be your last PTA meeting, a tornado watch in your neighborhood, another medical bill, a looming work deadline or the most recent newsflash, there always seems to be something to send your pulse racing or make your mouth go dry.
So how could a simple barefoot stroll along a local shoreline or in your own backyard help you find peace of mind once again? Turns out, that’s exactly what the latest research is uncovering about spending time outdoors.
Fight or flight vs. rest and digest
The truth of the matter is that our society lives in constant fight-or-flight mode. When a saber-toothed tiger attacked us back in the Ice Age, our brains had only recently developed something called the sympathetic nervous system response to keep us alive. Our eyes would dilate, our heart rate and blood pressure would rise, our lungs would widen to be able to accept more oxygen, blood would rush to our vital organs and away from our limbs, and our digestion and immune systems would slow so that we could stay alert and be ready to protect ourselves. Millions of years ago, the tiger attack was usually short lived – he was either successful or not in his attempt at making us his dinner.
Today’s problems and threats, however, have become much more complex and are often ongoing, leading to a chronic fight-or-flight culture that is wreaking havoc on our health. The same sympathetic nervous system response that at one time in our human history kept us from becoming another predator’s meal is now the same system which, because we can’t seem to turn it off, is contributing to inflammatory conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypertension, various autoimmune illnesses and
mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
So how
do we turn it off? Restful and playful activities such as
meditation,
yoga,
dancing,
massage therapy, socializing or tuning out and turning off the constant feed of unwelcome news and work demands that have become increasingly important in modern times. That’s because these activities stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system response, which is the counterpart to the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is most active when we’re relaxed and at rest. It helps the body repair itself, stimulates the immune response, allows us to sleep, digest and eliminate food, detox from harmful substances and is even involved in triggering pleasure centers including sexual desire.
Embracing more relaxing activities doesn’t sound half bad about now, right? Who isn’t more relaxed after a great massage or a fun night out with friends? So how about considering a rejuvenating activity that’s super affordable and easy to do? Why not consider
earthing?
What is earthing?
Earthing, also known as grounding, is the act of directly reconnecting with the Earth and allowing its natural electromagnetic charges to be absorbed by our bodies. This practice involves:
- Walking outside barefoot
- Lying on the ground (not asphalt but bare dirt, sand or grass)
- Submersing ourselves in water
- Using grounding mats, blankets, patches or socks
How to practice earthing
As long as you’re not harming yourself or the Earth, there’s really no wrong way to reconnect with it. Here are some suggestions to get started:
Take a walk
Find ways to connect your bare feet with grass, sand or mud. Pay attention to the feeling of the ground beneath your feet – make it a sensual experience and, of course, be mindful of sharp objects as you go.
Garden
Turns out there’s nothing wrong with playing in the dirt! In fact,
gardening offers a ton of benefits, not limited to those harvests of juicy tomatoes or fresh strawberries. So go ahead and dig into the soil with your bare hands. You don’t need a big backyard – a windowsill will do if you live in an apartment.
Sleep outdoors.
A summer
camping trip is the perfect opportunity to sleep under the stars, but if you’re not the rough and tumble type, try an afternoon nap after a picnic on your weekend.
Bring your office outside
Long meetings, a full inbox or boring Excel sheets seem a lot more bearable when you’re under a shade tree sans shoes. Try it!
Explore your local park
Go barefoot in the park like Robert Redford and Jane Fonda did in 1967! When was the last time you went on a hike or hit the beach? Now you have another reason to go.
Go for a swim
Find a cool watering hole on a sweltering day and dive in. Research shows that
exposure to blue spaces, like oceans, lakes and streams, offers similar benefits as contact with bare Earth. Just take proper precautions and have floatation devices nearby in case of an emergency.
Ground yourself indoors
When going outside is not an option, grounding mats can replace the electrical charge you would otherwise absorb from the Earth by being barefoot outdoors. They bring Earth's electromagnetic charge into your home or office and can be used for 20-30 minutes at a time.
Who benefits from earthing?
Current science, including research conducted in 2019 at the
Deepak Chopra Center on 16 massage therapists, has uncovered some interesting health discoveries from Earthing, such as:
- Improved sleep
- Better mood
- Overall increased energy
- More mobility
- Less sensation of pain
A study in
2015 concurred, revealing that earthing decreased muscle damage in half of the 32 healthy young men that participated, reducing the duration of pain they experienced by speeding up their recovery time. Similarly, a
2015 study of 40 participants showed that mood significantly improved after relaxing for an hour comfortably in a recliner chair equipped with a conductive grounding pillow, mat and patches connecting participants to the Earth.
Research is slowly picking up, but more studies need to be conducted on how earthing may help reduce inflammation, speed wound healing and improve insomnia or illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome.
It’s obvious that there are benefits to returning to our roots. Our ancient ancestors walked barefoot and slept on the ground, covered in nothing but animal skins and woven plant materials. Our bodies easily absorbed the Earth’s abundant
free electrons, which helped stabilize the electrical environment of all our organs, tissues and cells.
We can still benefit from this today, however, since the 1960s, we’ve increasingly worn insulating rubber or plastic soled shoes, which separate us from the Earth's energy field, instead of the traditional leather ones our ancestors wore fashioned from animal hides. This suggests it’s important to connect with the Earth – skin to dirt.
The fact that earthing engages the parasympathetic nervous system response also has its own set of benefits as well, including enhanced immunity, better digestion, deeper sleep and lower blood pressure and blood sugar, precursors to heart disease and diabetes.
Who benefits most from earthing? We all do! So regardless of your age, background or health status, take a moment to appreciate the Earth today by reconnecting with it – just remember to leave your shoes at home!
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