Do Grounding Mats Work?

You struggle to fall asleep, and your energy's gone by the afternoon. Your mood's been in a slump for weeks, maybe months. Even simple movements—like bending down—come with a jolt of pain. You've tried everything—pills, supplements, therapies.

Nothing sticks.

You're not alone—and you're not out of options.

Grounding mats can help.

Also called earthing mats, they help you reconnect with the Earth beneath your feet and are believed to offer benefits from better heart health to reduced inflammation.

But do these claims hold weight? Do grounding mats work? Let's unpack the science.

First, How Does Grounding Work?

Our body is conductive; it can carry electrical currents because of its ionic content.

When you walk on a carpet with socks on or wear synthetic clothing (like polyester or nylon) during workouts, the friction can build up excess electric charge in the body.

Grounding helps you bring your body's natural electrical state into balance by providing a direct connection to the Earth. It is based on the earthing hypothesis, which theorises that when our skin makes contact with the Earth's surface, which has a negative charge, it facilitates a transfer of free electrons from the Earth to the body.

These electrons serve as natural antioxidants, combating free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules) and protecting against premature aging and chronic diseases.

But Walking on Natural Surfaces Isn't The Only Way To Go

Walking barefoot—with direct contact with the ground—is generally considered the best way to absorb electrons. Unfortunately, it's not always possible because of our lifestyles, which involve spending significant time indoors and wearing shoes, further increasing the buildup of positive static electric charge in the body.

Plus, walking barefoot on the ground isn't ideal for everyone.

That's Where Grounding Mats Come In 

A grounding mat is an electrical item with a conductive PU material that connects via a wire to a grounded electrical outlet. It is designed to mimic the flow of electrons from the Earth into your body to help you reorient your balance. Best of all, it provides a similar experience to walking barefoot on the ground (grass, sand, or soil).

It is easy to use with minimal setup, and can be placed under feet while sitting or standing, on a desk to rest your hands while working, or on a mattress for sleep.

Benefits You Stand To Gain By Using Grounding Mats

Accelerate Wound Healing 

Grounding has been found to accelerate wound healing, even in people with diabetes! As diabetes is associated with several pathological changes like chronic hyperglycemia, grounding mats might just be the key to promoting faster healing.

Battle Depression

Depression is a mental disorder that negatively affects how you think and feel, which in turn influences how you act. It is widely stigmatised, making it difficult for individuals to seek the help they need to become the best version of themselves.

Complementary tools like grounding mats can come to your aid here.

Research shows grounding can significantly improve positive moods with just one hour of contact. It also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body's fight-or-flight response and brings it back to a balanced state.

Counteract Pain

Pain feels harmless, but it can seriously affect your quality of life.

Over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol, Advil, and Aspirin can help manage pain, but they do carry risks of side effects and addiction if not used properly. Try grounding mats as an alternative first course of action instead; the technique has been proven to have a dramatic impact on pain, even chronic, with just four weeks of consistent use!

Improve Sleep 

Your body repairs and restores itself when you sleep, making it integral to normal functioning. Don't clock in eight hours at night, and it'll start impacting your mood, energy, and brain function. Left unchecked, it can even weaken your immune system, increasing your susceptibility to diseases and slowing down recovery from infections.

Grounding mats can help you side-step these issues.

Earthing can reduce night-time levels of the stress hormone cortisol and resync your circadian rhythm, promoting a more consistent sleep-wake cycle. It also deepens your breathing, which can help you fall asleep faster. These benefits extend to patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), who often have sleep disruptions at night.

Reduce Cardiovascular Risk 

Grounding improves blood pressure measurements in patients with hypertension. It increases the surface charge on red blood cells (RBCs), leading to less clumping and lower viscosity. This makes it easier for oxygen and nutrients to move through the body, reach different muscles, tissues, and organs, and keep you in prime health.

But that's not all.

It has a de-stressing effect on the autonomic nervous system, which can improve heart rate variability, lowering the incidence of coronary heart disease.

Regulate Anxiety 

Anxiety does more than cause fear, dread, and restlessness; it also causes physical stress on your body that can manifest as stomach pain, digestive problems, and more.

Grounding mats buffer the body against these nerve-racking symptoms.

According to an animal study, they can reduce anxiety-like behaviour, learned helplessness, and expression of c-Fos and CRF immunoreactivity in the brain. Hence, they can ease stress-related responses by regulating the corticotropin-releasing hormone pathway.

Tackle Inflammation

Your body has a pretty solid defence mechanism against harmful stimuli.

Unfortunately, when the underlying issue behind injuries or infections isn't addressed, acute inflammation becomes chronic, leading to tissue damage and fibrosis formation. This can put you at risk of various diseases, including arthritis, diabetes, and cancer.

Grounding systems like mats improve your odds by reducing inflammatory markers and oxidative stress. This allows white blood cells (neutrophils and lymphocytes) to work more effectively in clearing pathogens and breaking down damaged cells.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long should I use a grounding mat?

Experts suggest using the grounding mat for at least 30 minutes a day—but this isn't set in stone! Start with shorter durations, pay attention to your body's responses, and then scale up based on how you feel and what your desired wellness goals are.

How do I know if my grounding mat is working?

Did you notice improvements in your mood, sleep quality, energy levels, and muscle soreness? Or perhaps, a tingling sensation? That's the grounding mat in action.

How long do grounding mats take to show effect?

Some people report noticeable results within hours, like improved blood flow and circulation through blood vessels in the head, face, torso, and extremities. For others, it may take a few weeks to see gradual improvements with consistent practice.

It's important to follow the manufacturer's instructions closely and check with a doctor before grounding, especially if you're pregnant, have recently undergone surgery, or have an implant, a compromised immune system, allergies, or existing nerve damage.

In Conclusion:

While large-scale studies are needed to set the benefits of grounding mats in stone, one thing's certain: they offer a no-fail approach to improving sleep, stress and anxiety levels, heart health, and overall well-being—by just reconnecting with the Earth!

Try it today through our online shop; your body will thank you for it.