Walking Barefoot Can Reduce Anxiety: Benefits of Earththing for Mental Health
Grounding is often seen as a return to our primordial connection to the earth. It involves direct physical contact between our bodies and the ground, whether it is grass, sand or even water. In doing so, we harness the energy of the earth, which has the potential to positively impact our mental and emotional state.
Our ancestors walked barefoot for centuries, but we lost that connection to the land long ago. And research to date supports the concept that grounding the human body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunlight, clean air and water, nutritious foods, and physical activity. .
What does "Earthing" or "Grounding" consist of?
It refers to the practice of being in direct contact with the earth, either walking barefoot on dirt, grass or sand, or using devices designed to connect the human body to the earth electrically. The idea behind this practice is that direct contact with the earth can have health benefits by allowing electrons from the earth to flow into the body.
Grounding, also called “grounding” in Spanish, is a therapeutic technique that involves carrying out activities that “ground” us or reconnect us electrically to the earth. This conductive contact of the human body with the earth's surface can have intriguing benefits on our physiology.
The idea of grounding, or being in physical contact with the Earth and using electrical charges from it, is an under-researched science. However, there are many promising studies that indicate that taking the time to be in actual contact with the ground (i.e. skin-to-ground contact, no shoes here) has a host of health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and cardiovascular disease, muscle damage and chronic pain.
How Does It Work in Our Body?
It is important to understand how electricity works in our bodies. Our cells use electricity to communicate throughout our body with our brain. Elements like magnesium, sodium, potassium, etc., have a very specific electrical charge that our cells use to generate the electricity they need to do their job. Electrons come in pairs and when an atom loses an electron, everything becomes unbalanced and can cause a host of diseases and malfunctions in the body.
Grounding helps restore this balance. As we absorb free electrons at the Earth's surface, our body is better able to repair itself at the cellular level.
How the Practice of Earthing Can Help with Mental Health
Supporters of the connection between earththing and anxiety argue that contact with the earth can help balance the nervous system and reduce the fight or flight response, which could have a positive impact on anxiety.
Grounding is a natural stress reliever. Helps restore balance to our nervous system. A study conducted by Harvard Medical School found that grounding can have a significant impact on levels of cortisol, a hormone closely associated with stress.
By grounding regularly, people can experience lower levels of stress and greater feelings of calm and relaxation as well as helping people connect to the present moment and reduce anxiety.
How to Start the Practice of Grounding?
The first thing to do is take off your shoes and find a surface where there is land, whether it is grass, sand or stones.
The technique only asks that you walk without stopping for ten to thirty minutes. In those minutes, it is important that you focus on what your feet are feeling as you walk. Breathing should be slow until it becomes natural, until, in the best of cases, you forget to think about it.
Other specialists also recommend walking barefoot on grass, sand or dirt for at least 30 minutes a day.
- Enjoy outdoor activities such as gardening, hiking or yoga.
- Take a break from technology and spend time in nature.
- Try grounding mats or sheets that allow you to reconnect with the earth's energy inside.
Emerging evidence shows that contact with the Earth whether outdoors barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems, may be a simple, natural and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic stress, inflammation , pain, lack of sleep, and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease.
Another Alternative: Grounding 5-4-3-2-1
For severe anxiety episodes, there is another variant that also has very good results: it is called 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding.
It is a simple but effective method to regain control of your mind. It brings you back to the present and grounds you or connects you to the "now" and takes you away from difficult and stressful situations.
This technique incorporates all 5 senses to help you remember what your senses are telling you. The counting begins:
5 things you can see: Look around you and identify five objects, preferably in the same space where you are or what you see out the window. It can be a table, a chair, a light post, etc.
4 things that you can touch and feel the texture : It can be your own hair, the fabric of your clothes or some object that you have in front of you.
3 that you can hear : Pay attention to the sounds around you. Try to recognize the chirping of birds, a motorcycle passing by, the horn of a car, or any other sound that surrounds you.
2 smells around you: any aroma that is present around you at that moment is valid. It can be the aroma of food, coffee, perfume or your own body aroma.
1 thing you can taste. It can be a chocolate or a candy. If you don't have any on hand, focus on the taste in your mouth.
CBD as a supplement
Balance your body by taking some high-quality CBD oil to complete your grounding practice. Take a few drops of CBD oil to feel more balanced.
Try our CBDZen sublingually and count to 1-2-3 while breathing deeply to increase the quality of relaxation. Controlling your breathing is a great way to instantly feel more present and grounded in reality.
The modern lifestyle has almost completely disconnected us from everyday access to the Earth's electrons. Think about it, most of our shoes have synthetic soles, we spend all day in contact with electrical equipment, most of modern society no longer grows its own food, and so on.
Making this small change in your routine, touching the earth with your feet, breathing and walking can do a lot for your well-being.
Sources consulted
The Mental Health Benefits of Grounding in Nature
https://anzmh.asn.au/blog/the-mental-health-benefits-of-grounding-in-nature
The Effect of Earthing Mat on Stress-Induced Anxiety-like Behavior and Neuroendocrine Changes in the Rat
Grounding Mats: Your Questions Answered
https://www.healthline.com/health/under-review-grounding-mats#research
Why Walking Barefoot Is Good for You
https://greekreporter.com/2023/09/28/walking-barefoot-grounding/
Grounding – The universal anti-inflammatory remedy
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