Grounding – an introduction

Are you feeling ever more stressed, overwhelmed, and unmotivated or unwell? Does it seem like lately that the to-do list is growing faster than there is time to complete. And it is not your imagination, the daylight hours are shortening with the cadence of Fall and inevitable annual transition to Winter.

But, stay present and capitalize on the daylight hours you can take advantage of with a walk in nature. This will serve you twofold as you soak in some of the necessary sunshine and get energetically grounded. Grounding (also known as earthing) simply means reconnecting the conductive human body to the Earth's natural and conductive surfaces such as gravel, grass, soil, or sand. According to an article published on ScienceDirect, based on observations from over 20 research studies, "Doing [grounding]

...reduces inflammation, pain, and stress, improves sleep, blood flow, ... and produces greater well-being..” –Menigoz, Latz, Ely, Kamei, Melvin, Sinatra

But how does grounding work? Connecting with the natural conducting surfaces of the earth rebalances your electrons, restoring electron deficiency that we lose over time. Being disconnected from the Earth in a high stress, developed world is contributing to our declining public health.

Un-do some of your built up mental and physical stress with a grounding walk in nature. By taking advantage of this under-utilized and highly beneficial form of self care you are maximizing your resources. Best of all, natural grounding is completely free to you - just step outside!

The benefits for your little ones are immense likewise! These include enhancing their self-regulation, emotional balance and sleep patterns. I think we can all agree better sleep for your kids is always a win. Walking barefoot in nature, playing in sand, and climbing rocks are among many other calming grounding energy techniques. These techniques embrace mindfulness and have been shown to reduce anxiety and PTSD according to this Healthline article.

Find the joy in your days, care for your self and therefore allow that love for those around you to better flow effortlessly. For grounding sequence inspiration, read Self Love in Yoga.

Needing to get your diet grounded? Here are tips on how to meal plan for the week.

journal prompt: how does being in nature and practicing grounding make me feel?