5 WAYS TO CALM THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
2. Grounding/Earthing
Is this New Age movement worth exploring? Is there a scientific basis for this “woo-woo” concept? What is grounding or earthing?
There are two basic methods of grounding (or earthing):
1. Indoors, involving inexpensive grounding systems (conductive mats, pads, body bands, or patches) while sleeping or sitting.
2. In its most natural form and free, by spending time barefoot outdoors in contact with natural conduct surfaces, like grass, soil, gravel, stone, and sand.
The Earth’s surface has an abundant number of free-floating electrons. It is proposed that these electrons serve as antioxidant molecules neutralising free radicals involved in the body’s immune and inflammatory responses. [1]
Emerging scientific findings suggests that this negatively charged particle found in nature (except in some ultra-dry areas such as deserts) can create biochemical condition within the body that is stable, promoting a normal functioning system. The influx of these electrons induces several anti-inflammatory responses which include pain reduction, sleep quality improvements, shifting from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic nervous system, and blood-thinning effects, just to name a few. [2]
Can Earth’s free-floating electrons really be a “re-boot” system for our ailing health?
Two pilot studies were conducted based on sleep, pain, stress, and cortisol parameters in which grounding may have an effect. The grounded subjects were reported having had vastly improved sleep onset (time to fall asleep), restfulness, muscle stiffness and pain, chronic back and/or joint pain, and the overall improvement in the restoration of normal day-night cortisol secretion patterns
(Figure 1). Reports of other significant relief include asthmatic and respiratory conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome, sleep apnoea, and hypertension. [2,3]
The grounding methods for both studies used conductive mattress pads during sleep.
While these studies may still be in the preliminary stage of proving grounding as a viable therapeutic strategy due to its subjective measurements, I would like to hope that the next few studies will trigger your curiosity to explore further. It’s quite compelling.
At Pennsylvania State University Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, premature infants were grounded and the 2017 study reported an immediate and significant improvement in measurements of autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning. An increase in heart rate variability was reported, an indication of improved vagal tone. Regulation of the ANS is critically important in dealing with inflammatory and stress responses. [4]
While the next two case studies focus on the healing capacity of grounding rather than the effects of calming the nervous system, it’s the ability to reduce inflammation that is the core component of its mechanism. Chronic inflammation is the underlying cause that drives most diseases and hinders the capacity for the human body to heal.
The ability in which grounding can expedite the rate of healing is nothing short of a miracle.
The first case study involves an 84-year-old diabetic woman with an 8-month-old non-healing wound (Figure 2). The earthing method used was an electrode patch while the patient was seated comfortably. After 2 weeks of daily 30-minute earthing sessions, the wound had healed considerably, and the patient was completely pain-free.
The next case study involves a cyclist injured in a Tour de France competition in which the chain wheel had gouged his leg. Grounding patches were placed below and above the wound soon after the injury had occurred. The cyclist was able to continue the race the following day after the injury despite a serious wound inflicted. There was minimal redness, pain, and swelling around the injury site (Figure 3 )[5].
Are you ready to include some simple grounding strategies in your daily routine?
Thirty minutes each day walking barefoot on the natural ground is very feasible. We’ve seen the compelling data and its vast implications.
How about heading out into nature once a month? Bushwalking and camping in the forest? We know how much this can affect the quality of our sleep.
And if office life had gotten you stuck in a rut with little outdoor time? Purchasing a grounding mat may temporarily solve the problem.
While still in its infancy in terms of research data, we can explore and incorporate some of this information into our day-to-day life for health improvements and the regulation of our nervous system. It is relatively cost-effective, especially if we make a conscious effort to be out in nature often.
If you’re with me so far, next, we’re going to explore the calming benefits of forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku). Stay tuned…
Lifestyle medicine is using nature as medicine.
Reference:
J.L Oschman. (2007). Can Electrons Act as Antioxidants? A Review and Commentary. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. PMID: 18047442
G. Chevalier et al. (2012). Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to The Earth’s Surface Electrons. Journal of Environmental and Public Health. PMID: 22291721
M. Ghaly and D. Teplitz. (2004). The Biologic Effects of Grounding the Human Body During Sleep as Measured by Cortisol Levels and Subjective Reporting of Sleep, Pain and Stress. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. PMID: 15650465
R. Passi et al. (2017). Electrical Grounding Improves Vagal Tone in Preterm Infants. Neonatology.
PMID: 28601861J.L Oschman et al. (2015). The Effects of Grounding (Earthing) on Inflammation, the Immune Response, Wound Healing, and Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Disease. Journal of Inflammation Research. PMID: 25848315
