REBOOT YOUR HEALTH BY DOING THIS SIMPLE THING

Revitalize and refresh mind, body and soul with a spot of grounding – it’s as easy as kicking off your shoes.

I’ve been doing my best Kate Bush impression – a la Wuthering Heights – of late by kicking off my shoes and enjoying a bit of barefoot time – a concept known as grounding, or earthing. There are a whole host of health benefits to be gained from getting your toes out, including boosted energy levels, which I’ve felt most in need of lately. Fancy a slice of the action? Read on to find out how to embrace this popular practice…

What is grounding?

This therapeutic technique, which requires you to reconnect with the earth by standing, sitting or lying on the ground with bare feet or exposed skin is said to help you reset and restore body and mind.

The theory goes, when your body connects to the negatively charged earth (be it via grass, sand or specially designed earthing mats), it allows you to release any built-up positive charge you may have accumulated from your environment, such as electromagnetic field energy from the use of electrical devices and take on some of the earth’s negative charge.

Some studies show that connecting to the earth’s electrons can have a positive effect on your physical and mental well-being.

The benefits of grounding

There are a number of reported health benefits to grounding, including boosted energy levels, improved sleep, brighter mood, lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation.

One study in particular espouses the great benefits of connecting to the earth, claiming its electrons can have the same effect as antioxidants when they flow through the body, thus reducing inflammation, speeding up healing and boosting general well-being.

And of course, simply immersing yourself in nature alone is hugely beneficial for your health.

Get grounded

Walking without shoes along the beach with the sand between your toes, is one of life’s simple pleasures and a fantastic way to get grounded, but you don’t just need to be on the beach to feel the benefits and many of us don’t enjoy the art of skin-to-earth contact enough….

Walk outside – Simply spending time walking around your garden on the grass or soil on a warm, dry day is a great way to embrace grounding. Allowing the soles of your feet to connect with the ground and soak up the negative charge.

Take a lie down – Lying down on the ground, be it in a park or at the beach is a fantastic way to stay grounded and increases your skin to earth contact.

Do it in the office – If you’re struggling for time outside – or at least time outside when the weather is nice – you can always invest in a grounding mat. You can use these at home or in the office whenever you feel the need. It allows you to reap the benefits while completing your everyday tasks. And it’s not just mats – there are specially designed sheets, blankets and socks available.

Go for a dip – According to some grounding advocates, immersing yourself in mineral-rich water such as a lake or the sea can have the same effect as walking or lying barefoot on the ground. Perfect for those warmer days! Just be sure to always choose a safe swimming spot. For more on wild swimming, check out our previous blog post for inspiration!

To sum up

There are relatively few studies that delve deep into the benefits of this unexplored, but ever-growing, practice, but the ones that have been done and those who practice it regularly have found it to be extremely beneficial for holistic health.

It’s cheap, it’s easy and anything that brings you closer to nature has got to be a good thing, so why not give it a whirl today?