Earthing (Grounding) Therapy room at Chrysalis Holistic Healing Center

“Earthing is about having direct skin contact with the surface of the Earth, whether it’s your bare feet, your hands or other parts of your body,” Dr. Albers explains. The theory is that when we physically connect with the ground, its electrical energy rebalances our own. Proponents believe that the rise in chronic illnesses can be attributed, in part, to our footwear.

“They point out that we've just recently started wearing shoes with rubber soles, which don’t conduct electricity,” she continues. “So, part of the argument is that we've removed that contact from the Earth, which is making us unwell.”

Modern earthing is a new(ish) twist on a widespread belief in the healing potential of the Earth. Practitioners of the Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) therapy of reflexology sometimes walk barefoot to stimulate the flow of energy (qi) throughout the body. Being barefoot is also a feature of many indigenous cultures around the world — and several religions require devotees to remove their shoes to pray or enter a place of worship.

So, these ideas have been “in the air,” in one form or another, for a long time. But the specific practice of earthing has been having a moment since 2022, when it became a hot topic on social media.

If you’ve heard of grounding, but not earthing, you may be wondering: Are they the same thing? You’ll get different answers depending on who you ask. It’s common to use the terms interchangeably, but Dr. Albers sees grounding and earthing as two specific (but related) things.

Distinguishing between grounding and earthing is that, not all grounding exercises involve connecting with the Earth. You can ground yourself physically in many ways, including stretching, doing breathwork or and engaging your senses (think holding an ice cube or rubbing a fuzzy blanket).

Some favorite grounding exercises — like putting your hands on a table or sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the floor — could count as earthing in the right setting. But most people do those activities indoors. And if there’s not earth (or earth energy) involved, it’s not earthing.

Grounding techniques, unlike earthing, also don’t have to be physical. They’re often mental. A few examples of mental grounding exercises include repeating mantras and doing distracting tasks like math or memory games.

As you might expect, there are debates about the merits of different earthing techniques. Some earthing adherents think direct contact with the ground (or a natural body of water) is absolutely necessary. Others believe you can get the same benefits by using special electrical conduction products.

Outdoor earthing can take many forms. And there’s good news: Many of them are free!

You can:

• Sit or lie down in dirt, grass or sand.
• Sit in a chair and let your bare feet touch the ground.
• Swim or relax in a natural body of water.
• Get your hands dirty (literally) by touching or playing with the soil.

We know what you’re thinking — and yes! Lying on the beach is a form of earthing! Outdoor gardening counts as earthing, too! The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, also known as “forest therapy” or “forest bathing" may or may not fit the bill, depending on your clothing and footwear choices. Ditto for hiking and camping.  All earthing devotees believe outdoor earthing is good for you. Indoor earthing is where things get more controversial.

Not everybody has equal access to Mother Nature. Some mental health disorders make it hard to feel safe in uncontrolled or unfamiliar surroundings.

Enter indoor earthing! There’s a whole cottage industry dedicated to bringing the benefits of the great outdoors inside. You can buy products that claim to bring the energy of the Earth to you, including:

• Mats.
• Shoes.
• Blankets.
• Mattress pads.
• Adhesive patches.

Do they actually work? It depends on who you ask and — potentially — your personal circumstances.

There’s not much research on the health benefits of earthing. And a lot of the research we do have is of questionable quality — sometimes because the sample sizes are too small to be meaningful, sometimes because the study is poorly designed and sometimes because of flawed data analysis. Even good research on the benefits of earthing is too preliminary to base conclusions on. Nevertheless, proponents claim that integrating earthing into your life can:

1. Improve mood and reduce stress.
2. Improve sleep and prevent or treat fatigue.
3. Reduce inflammation.
4. Speed healing and reduce pain.
5. Improve immune system function.
6. Improve multiple heart health metrics.
7. Modulate autonomic nervous system function.

Connecting with nature can absolutely benefit your physical and mental health. And it may be worth integrating into a holistic treatment plan for a chronic condition. But that is not the same thing as claiming earthing can prevent or cure disease.

You probably already know that walking, hiking and other forms of outdoor exercise like gardening have numerous health benefits. And that good air circulation plays a crucial role in preventing airborne infections. You might not know that forests and other green environments tend to be rich in phytoncides, antimicrobial compounds released by trees and plants.  Inhaling phytoncides may benefit the immune system and contribute to stress reduction, and the natural aromatherapy of being outside may have a positive impact on mood and emotional well-being.

As far as natural remedies go, most earthing techniques are pretty low-risk. But there are exceptions that prove the rule. Here are a few things to consider before making earthing part of your mental health hygiene routine.

The safety hazards associated with earthing are probably pretty obvious, but let’s review them anyway.

• Humans invented shoes for a reason: They protect our feet. If your earthing practice involves walking around barefoot, you’re risking injury, allergic reactions and infections.
• If balancing on uneven terrain is difficult for you, practice earthing sitting down or standing still.
• Just like camping and hiking, you should always be prepared for the possibility of an accident or emergency while earthing. And it’s especially important to bring plenty of water with you to prevent dehydration.
• If swimming is your earthing technique of choice, the primary risks are contracting a waterborne infection and drowning. 
• Mindfulness is all about being aware of your surroundings, so trust what you’re sensing. Don’t hesitate to leave an area if it feels unsafe.
• Indoor grounding products have to be plugged into a grounded electrical outlet. Never use them during a thunderstorm— they pose an electrocution risk in the event of a lightning strike. Earthing advocates also recommend having an electrician check any outlet you plan to use with grounding devices, as faulty wiring could result in electric shock.

Earthing is a practice that’s accessible to pretty much everybody. After all, it’s hard to be completely removed from the natural world, even today. But while earthing is accessible, it’s not always advisable.

Some earthing techniques may be off-limits — or require extra caution — if you have chronic medical conditions. Be sure to check with your provider before you start earthing, especially if you have:

• Podiatric health issues. If you have a foot condition, check with your podiatrist to see if barefoot walking is safe.
• Nerve damage. If you have reduced sensation in your feet, you might not notice minor injuries that happen when walking barefoot outdoors. The same goes for electrical burns or shocks from a faulty grounding mat.
• Allergies. People with life-threatening allergies to insect bites and stings may need to avoid outdoor earthing. Watch your step when walking barefoot outdoors and be sure to carry an epi-pen if anaphylaxis is a concern.
• Pregnancy. If you plan on earthing during your pregnancy, be extra cautious. There are many contaminants and infectious organisms in soil that could impact fetal development.
• Immune system issues. If your immune system is compromised, touching soil or swimming in a natural body of water could raise your risk of an infection.

Earthing websites often advise that earthing may make you feel worse before it makes you feel better. If you experience flu-like symptoms or find the sensation of using indoor earthing products unpleasant, stop.

Earthing is the practice of connecting with the Earth’s energy by either making direct physical contact with the ground (or water) or using specialized electric conduction products.

While there’s some evidence to suggest earthing is good for your health, these claims aren’t backed by high-quality research, but there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that being outside (with or without touching the earth) benefits our physical and mental health.

Earthing is generally safe, provided you take basic health and safety precautions. But, again, people who have chronic conditions or take certain medications should speak with their provider before adding earthing to their self-care regimen.