I recently purchased an earthing sheet (aka grounding sheet) and I’m so glad I did! (If you’re impatient, click here to check out the one I bought.) I first started delving into the benefits of earthing many years ago, and I often tell clients to make sure they get their bare feet on the ground regularly because connecting with the earth has been shown in studies to reduce inflammation. But it’s only after seeing my husband go from being unable to sleep past 3 am every day for a number of years, to now sleeping until at least 6.30am after finally buying a grounding mat for our bed, that I’m reminded just how much one simple change can impact your health.
Two Days of Extra Sleep Per Week!
This is one of those weird things. My husband never had problems sleeping until we moved back to New Zealand the first time in 2003. We lived here in Te Aroha for four years, and most of that time, he would be awake around 3am and couldn’t get back to sleep. In 2008 we moved back to Australia and his sleep issue resolved. We didn’t think anything of it.
However after returning to New Zealand, and Te Aroha again in 2015, he gradually began having sleep issues again. We have no idea why this happens here, but there definitely seems to be a pattern….. and because he’s that much older now, the lack of sleep really began to affect him.
He was never one to sleep during the day, or even to fall asleep watching TV or reading – ever!
But we found over the past 18 months or so, that he was getting sleepier and sleepier, to the point that he was falling asleep while eating his lunch or dinner, and always when watching videos or movies. He was even starting to struggle with driving the car as he’d find himself getting sleepy behind the wheel. He’d never had issues like this before.
I was getting really concerned about him!
So when one of my kids gave me a Prezzy card for my birthday, I decided to put it toward an earthing mat for the bed in the hope that it might help… Just maybe…
I’d been thinking about getting one for a while and my intuition proved to be on point. He has not had one early morning since we’ve had the earthing sheet on the bed!
He slept until 7am the first morning, and 7.45am the second morning. Since then the earliest he’s been up has been 6am, and he no longer falls asleep while eating his lunch!
Now that’s not to say he doesn’t wake up during the night. He does sometimes. But he goes back to sleep, and that’s the difference.
And after the first few days of getting a good nights sleep, he realised that he was actually getting an extra two full nights sleep per week now. No wonder he was tired before!
Sleep is SO important for good health…
So Do Earthing Sheets and Grounding Mats Work?
Obviously I’m going to say ‘hell yes!’ But in my experience, it actually depends on where you buy them from! Obviously the earthing sheet we purchased does what it’s supposed to. But I have to admit to getting ripped off in the past when I did buy some earthing products (about five years ago – a sheet and two pads for our lounge chairs) that definitely did not work and I ended up throwing them in the rubbish.
We suspected that they weren’t doing anything, and we eventually confirmed that they weren’t working when tested them using a multimeter. But because we’d owned them for a while by this stage, and I’d bought them from some dodgy retailer in another country, to try to get my money back wasn’t feasible.
So I guess, like many things, there is varying quality when it comes to grounding sheets and earthing mats, and sometimes you just get what you pay for. The earthing sheet and grounding mats that I’d bought earlier, were cheaper, but they didn’t do what they said they would.
The one we now own has definitely made a difference for my husband. But what about me? Well I sleep pretty well most of the time anyway, but I do think I’m getting a better quality sleep with less aches and pains.
What are the Other Benefits of Earthing?
Earthing, also known as grounding, is the practice of connecting with the Earth’s natural energy by walking barefoot on grass, sand, soil, or rocks. This simple activity has been found to have several health benefits:
- Reduces Inflammation: Earthing helps to neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body. This can alleviate symptoms of chronic pain conditions such as arthritis and improve overall well-being.
- Improves Sleep: Many people report better sleep quality after incorporating earthing into their daily routine. The practice helps regulate cortisol levels and melatonin production, leading to deeper and more restful sleep.
- Boosts Immune System: By reducing inflammation and promoting relaxation, earthing strengthens the immune system’s response to pathogens and reduces the risk of various illnesses.
- Enhances Mood: Earthing has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Connecting with nature can uplift mood and promote a sense of calmness.
- Balances Energy Levels: Walking barefoot on natural surfaces allows the body to absorb electrons from the Earth, which can help balance energy levels throughout the body and promote feelings of vitality.
- Supports Circulation: Earthing improves blood flow and circulation by thinning the blood and preventing it from clotting easily. This can benefit cardiovascular health and lower the risk of heart disease.
- Increases Energy Levels: Many individuals who practice earthing report feeling more energized throughout the day due to improved sleep quality, reduced inflammation, and enhanced overall wellness.
Overall, incorporating earthing into your daily routine can have numerous health benefits for both your physical and mental well-being. Whether you choose to walk barefoot outdoors or use grounding mats indoors, connecting with the Earth’s energy can be a simple yet powerful way to support your health naturally.
There are a number of different grounding products available, from grounding underlay’s like the one we bought, to grounding blankets and pads. You can check them out here along with the grounding sheet that we purchased.
A word of advice though… Make sure to read the reviews. I found them helpful as they helped me to understand the product and what to expect. These products don’t provide the startling results that my husband got for everyone, but that’s because we’re all different. The truth is that when it comes to health issues there’s never a ‘one size fits all’ solution. The reasons we have inflammation or pain, or insomnia, vary. But I’m always about ‘first do no harm’, and it seems to me is that being grounded or earthed as much as humanly possible is always going to be a good thing – whether we notice a difference or not.
