Scientific research supports a new practice that has emerged to help those suffering from inflammation and chronic pain. Called “grounding” or sometimes “earthing,” the practice involves restoring the connection between the human body and the Earth, which proponents of grounding believe is often weakened or severed by contemporary lifestyles and modern technology. 

For example, grounding proponents suggest that elevated beds, high-rise buildings, and synthetic soles in shoes disconnect people from the natural energy flow from the Earth to their bodies.

Grounding oneself again involves removing barriers between the body and the Earth – for example, walking, sitting barefoot indoors, or sleeping on a grounded mattress. The benefits of grounding include improved sleep quality, reduced pain and inflammation, decreased stress, and better overall well-being.

Is grounding legit?

A few years ago, Frazer Clacherty, the founder of Down To Ground™, became concerned about how widespread chronic pain and inflammation have become, especially for middle-aged women and the elderly. His reading of case studies on grounding prompted him to brainstorm ways to achieve grounding indoors and overnight. 

Clacherty states that over 25 peer-reviewed studies suggest grounding may have health benefits, though the specific effects and mechanisms require further research.

For example, a 2015 study published in the Journal of Inflammation Research found that “electrically conductive contact of the human body with the surface of the Earth (grounding or earthing) produces intriguing effects on physiology and health,” including reduced inflammation and benefits for the treatment and prevention of autoimmune disorders. 

In this controlled study, the researchers used an experimental muscle injury (“delayed onset muscle soreness”) to monitor the body’s immune response when grounded versus ungrounded. They found that grounding reduced pain and altered chemical factors related to inflammation.

How grounding with grounding sheets works

Grounding at night can be beautiful for busy modern lifestyles. You can free yourself from the flood of electricity surrounding you and reconnect with the earth’s natural electric charge for eight hours at night. 

Down To Ground™ provides grounding sheets and mattress covers made from soft, breathable materials and woven with conductive silver threads. A grounding cord connects the sheet to the grounding part of a wall outlet, connecting the sleeper (by wire) to the earth.

During the night, when in contact with the bed sheet’s conductive layer, the body discharges static electricity and rebalances to reach its natural electrical state. The technology is meant to replicate the benefits of contact with the ground while sleeping indoors and to do so in an easy-to-use way.

About Down To Ground™ and their grounding products

Founded several years ago, Down To Ground™ already provides an array of grounding products, hand-testing each product so the company can guarantee its grounding. 

“If you’re going to sleep, you want to sleep grounded,” Clacherty suggests, “because it improves the overall health of your body, and you’re going to live a longer, healthier, happier life.”

Clacherty hopes to have one million people sleeping grounded around the world in five years. The company’s website offers more information about Down To Ground™.

Julian Carter, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.