Grounding: Scientific Insights and Effectiveness Evaluation

Grounding, cold plunges, yoga, and meditation have become staples in the biohacking community, largely due to their proposed wellness benefits and health implications. While many of these practices have existed for several years, others, like grounding, have recently become quite popular, particularly through discussion on social media outlets.

Proponents of grounding believe that direct skin contact with the Earth’s surface offers many benefits, including pain relief, improved sleep, and reduced stress. Many devotees recommend practicing this habit outdoors — like swimming in a river or walking barefoot on a grassy field. For those without easy access to nature, a range of systems have been designed to practice grounding indoors, including grounding patches, shoes, mats, and one of the most popular options: bedsheets.

While advocates of this practice report numerous positive effects, the scientific evidence surrounding it is not clear-cut, especially compared to other wellness practices such as meditation, mindfulness, or yoga, which seem to have more substantial scientific evidence.

To gain a better understanding of grounding and to provide a clear answer to those who wonder if grounding sheets really work we have thoroughly examined the available research with the help of our in-house researcher, Paula Vaidelauskaitė, BSc. With her expertise, we have developed a guide to understand grounding, its proposed mechanisms, health implications, and alternative explanations to its reported benefits.

How grounding works

Although it may appear to be a recent trend online, the practice of grounding has been around for centuries. Many ancient cultures explored the connection between humans and nature; for example, ayurveda in India or traditional Chinese medicine.

While the history of grounding is mostly based on the spiritual belief in earth’s energy, enthusiasts have proposed two mechanisms of action to explain this practice. However, it is important to highlight that these are merely theories and lack substantial scientific evidence.

• Electron transfer hypothesis. This theory suggests that the Earth's surface is charged with negative electrons that, when in contact with our skin, flow through the body and act as antioxidants — neutralizing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reducing oxidative stress that can cause inflammation. Preliminary research on grounding suggests a reduction in inflammatory marker levels. However, measuring or confirming this transfer of Earth’s surface electrons to the human body remains a significant challenge.
• Autonomic nervous system regulation hypothesis. This theory posits that direct contact with Earth may help to shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic dominance, promoting relaxation. Some small studies have reported changes in physiological markers such as cortisol rhythms and heart rate variability. However, it is hard to understand if these improvements in stress markers are directly caused by grounding or if they result from a placebo effect associated with relaxation.

Health benefits of grounding

After exploring the theories and cultural roots of grounding, you may still have many questions. For instance, are grounding sheets legit, and is there solid scientific evidence supporting grounding's properties? To answer these questions, we have examined the existing research on the benefits of this practice.

For instance, a six-week randomized controlled trial involving 16 massage therapists showed self-reported improvements in physical function and decreased levels of pain after using grounding mats at work and in their bedrooms.

Another study with 12 subjects corroborated some of the findings of the investigation with massage therapists. In this pilot study, diurnal cortisol secretion levels were measured over eight weeks while subjects slept on a conductive mattress pad. Results indicated lower cortisol levels during night-time, along with self-reported reductions in pain, stress, and sleep difficulties.

Additionally, other proposed benefits, such as exercise recovery, have been investigated. A research study with 22 participants examined the impact of grounding on muscle recovery with respect to muscle soreness after eccentric muscle loading for 10 days. The results concluded that grounded participants experienced a significantly smaller increase in blood creatine kinase (CK) levels, a marker of muscle damage, compared to the ungrounded group, ultimately suggesting a potential effect on muscle damage marker levels.

Methodological limitations

While some findings may seem promising, it is important to take grounding with a grain of salt. Research in this field has several methodological limitations, raising concerns about the reliability and validity of the results.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon, we decided to reach out to Paula Vaidelauskaitė to explore these limitations. She shared with us some valuable insights and a detailed overview of the most common challenges in grounding studies.

Paula Vaidelauskaitė, BSc

Health Content Researcher

One of the major flaws of these studies is their small sample size, which hinders the ability to generalize findings to a wider population. A substantial number of these studies are also pilot designs. While pilot studies play a crucial role in the preliminary stages of research, they limit the interpretation, scalability, and generalizability of the results.

She also noted that many findings rely on anecdotal evidence and self-reported measures, which may compromise the reliability and validity of the results. “External factors, risk of intentional misreporting, or cultural and linguistic barriers can make self-evaluations quite subjective, leading to potential inaccuracies,” she added.

Alternative explanations of reported benefits

As discussed in this article, the available research on grounding is limited, with the need for further high-quality studies to substantiate proposed health benefits. Nevertheless, many customers and proponents report benefits from grounding practices, including relaxation and restorative sleep, which could also be interpreted based on alternative factors such as general relaxation, exposure to nature, and the placebo effect, among others.

For instance, grounding may lead to relaxation due to the mindfulness achieved while practicing this habit. Spending time lying on a mat or on the grass while focusing on breathing may help to cultivate a calmer mental state. Research has associated mindfulness and meditation with positive effects on psychological well-being. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2017, which analyzed 45 studies, concluded that meditation practice was associated with reduced physiological markers of stress across various populations.

Moreover, grounding is often practiced outdoors, where exposure to nature can significantly impact our mood and mental well-being. A meta-analysis from 2021 investigated the connection between nature and stress relief in 31 studies with a total of 1,842 participants. The findings indicated that exposure to the natural environment was linked with decreased salivary cortisol levels and reduced self-reported stress.

Another factor that may contribute to the perceived benefits of grounding while also highlighting some methodological limitations is the placebo effect. This phenomenon occurs when individuals experience real, measurable improvements in symptoms due to their belief in the efficacy of a treatment, even if the treatment lacks inherent therapeutic properties. In this case, grounding may grant a sense of control or agency over one's health, leading to the false belief of reduced stress or pain after a grounding session.

Lastly, given the popularity and endorsement of grounding by many social media influencers, there is a tendency for people to accept this habit as a go-to to improve well-being, often rejecting critical evidence. This reflects ‘confirmation bias,’ a concept that describes the tendency of individuals to acquire and interpret new information in a way that is consistent with their preexisting beliefs, downplaying contradictory evidence.

Conclusion

Since the stressful pandemic times, many individuals have found comfort in holistic practices such as meditating, yoga, and grounding. The latter has gathered a community of passionate followers who consider both outdoor grounding and grounding systems at home the cornerstones of a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.

As discussed in this article, there are limited studies exploring the proposed benefits of this practice, which include pain relief, sleep enhancement, and exercise recovery, among others. Though some studies have highlighted self-reported positive aspects of the practice, the overall body of research is slim and often features various methodological limitations.

The truth is that the exact mechanism of grounding devices remains a mystery to science. Although this emerging practice is garnering the interest of some scientific circles, clear results will take years to develop. In the meantime, other wellness practices — like regular exercise, a balanced diet, and a consistent sleep schedule — are backed by strong scientific evidence. These three habits continue to be the foundation pillars of a healthy lifestyle.

However, if you still want to practice grounding, we encourage you to conduct thorough research to ensure grounding sheet brands are safe. Some may promise to combat chronic fatigue, help enhance your immune response, reduce blood pressure levels, or speed wound healing, but there is no sufficient scientific evidence to support these claims. If you are experiencing any severe symptoms, it is essential to consult with your doctor to create a personalized treatment plan.

Grounding or earthing, like any other holistic practice, can be integrated into an already balanced lifestyle but should never become the solution to any health issue. Always be critical and question brands or social media influencers who promote grounding as a healing practice. We hope this article serves as a starting point for understanding grounding and making informed decisions in the future.