Grounding: Get Connected
- Annie Larson
- Sep 17
- 6 min read
By Annie Larson, Published in Pathways Magazine, Fall 2025
Every day, we need to reconnect with the earth for optimal health and well-being. Our vibration and Mother Earth’s vibration need to be in harmony, which happens the instant you put your bare feet on the earth. This is grounding, and we don’t do it often enough.
Our bodies resonate at 7.83 Hz, the same vibration that Mother Earth emits in what is called the Schumann Resonance. Discovered and so-named by Winfried Otto Schumann, a German physicist, in 1952, Schumann resonances are extremely low frequencies that exist in Earth’s ionosphere. Electromagnetic waves generated by lightning discharges excite these resonances. They travel around the Earth, bouncing between the surface and the ionosphere, creating a fundamental frequency that is approximately 7.83 Hz.
Researchers believe the Schumann resonances, the “heartbeat” of the Earth, influence human brainwave activity and health. In a 2021 white paper from NASA, researchers report that electroencephalograms (EEGs) show human brain waves harmonize close to the same frequency, especially during alpha and theta brain wave activity. For optimum well-being, our vibration and Mother Earth’s vibration need to be in harmony, which happens the instant you put your bare skin on the ground.
Grounding, often referred to as “earthing,” involves making direct skin contact with the Earth’s surface. Both anecdotal evidence and scientific studies suggest that maintaining continuous skin contact with the Earth, such as by walking barefoot, can yield lasting benefits by reducing inflammation, pain, and stress; and improving blood flow, sleep, and vitality. The Earth naturally provides electrons, and when we disconnect from it, we build up a negative charge. This can lead to physiological imbalances, such as increased inflammation, which is a key factor in many health problems. The electrons are beneficial for health by neutralizing free radicals, which are unstable atoms that can harm cells. By directly contacting the Earth’s surface, the body absorbs electrons, bringing us back to homeostasis, and thereby reducing inflammation, neutralizing free radicals, and realizing a myriad of other benefits.
Here is just some of what the research has shown:
● In 2004, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published one of the first grounding studies that examined the effects of grounding on sleep and circadian cortisol profiles. Cortisol is an essential steroid hormone made by your adrenal glands that affects almost every organ and tissue in your body. It plays many other important roles, including regulating glucose, inflammation, blood pressure, and sleep cycles. The results of this early study showed that grounding normalized daytime cortisol levels, reduced nighttime cortisol levels, and improved sleep, pain, and stress over the course of eight weeks.
● A 2015 collaborative research study in the Journal of Inflammation Research, findings showed grounding appeared to “improve sleep, normalize the day–night cortisol rhythm, reduce pain, reduce stress, shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic toward parasympathetic activation, increase heart rate variability, speed wound healing, and reduce blood viscosity.” The research explored the physiological effects of grounding, with significant implications for public health.
● A small study published in the April 2024 Journal of Health Science and Prevention suggests that grounding may speed up wound healing in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This research carried out earthing intervention for 1 hour every day for 30 days. It concluded that earthing/grounding therapy had a significant positive effect on accelerating diabetes mellitus wound healing for its participants.
Other research has shown the potential for mental health benefits associated with grounding practice. A UK study found Earth’s soil, particularly black soil rich in organic content, is an effective conductor for grounding because of its high moisture and electrolyte levels, contributing to the ease in which the Earth can easily transfer electrons to your body. Soil contains the bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae, which affects the brain similarly to antidepressants. Researchers found the bacterium raised serotonin levels in mice brains, changing their behavior similarly to antidepressants. Reported in a 2007 article on MedicalNewsToday.com, lead author Dr. Chris Lowry from Bristol University remarked, “These studies help us understand the body’s communication with the brain and highlight the importance of a healthy immune system for mental health.” This might explain why an imbalanced immune system could predispose some individuals to mood disorders like depression. Dr. Lowry stated, “They also make us consider whether we should spend more time playing in the dirt.”
The Disconnection Dilemma
To understand why you are ungrounded, you only need to look down at your feet. In the 1970s, shoe manufacturers, specifically of athletic shoes, moved away from natural materials like leather, rubber, and canvas, to ones created from synthetic materials. Synthetic materials were lighter and more cushioned to absorb impacts, which increased athletic performance, and they were more durable and resistant to cracking, which quickly made them wildly popular.
One such material is EVA, ethylene-vinyl acetate, a thermoplastic that has flexible properties much like rubber. It softens with heating and hardens by cooling, making it ideal for molding athletic running shoes. In 1975, Brooks, a company that specializes in athletic running shoes, pioneered the use of EVA in their Villanova running shoes. Other companies followed suit, and athletic shoes underwent a significant transformation with the introduction of artificial materials. This revolution spilled over into the manufacturing of all casual footwear. If you are wearing Crocs shoes, they are made entirely of EVA. Unfortunately, synthetic footwear acts as an insulator that blocks our natural connection to Mother Earth and the flow of electrons.
It is not just our shoes that create a disconnect. Our apparel, furniture, and even the beds we sleep on have synthetic materials like polyester. Our contemporary lifestyles distance us from nature. We live in concrete-centric urban areas and cities, often in high-rise buildings. Instead of walking, we drive or use public transportation to get around. Even when we walk, we wear shoes made of EVA! We have become indoor creatures, spending minimal time outside. We no longer tend backyard gardens, missing the chance to touch the soil and grow our own food. We remain indoors, absorbed in TV, computers, and video games. Our phones and social media consume our attention. Over time, this disconnection from Mother Earth leads to the accumulation of a negative charge, which emerging scientific research suggests affects our well-being.
Being ungrounded can feel like a sense of disconnection from yourself, your surroundings, others, and potentially even reality. You might experience spaciness or anxiety, with your mind and body feeling out of sync. You could find yourself lost in thought, overwhelmed, or consumed with intense emotions and worries. It’s as if you’re out of harmony with the world around you. I compare it to how I feel after having too much caffeine — like a cat on a hot tin roof! But how you feel is very individual, so being ungrounded may not feel as dramatic for you. You might not even notice.
Ways to Get Grounded
Naturally, the demand for connection has led to the creation of many consumer products designed to assist us with grounding. These include grounding mats and sheets for sleeping, grounding seat mats for working at a computer, ankle and wrist bands, patches, socks, and footwear. Each of these products connects you to the Earth either through a cord plugged into a grounded wall outlet or by attaching it to a grounding rod placed in the soil outside.
For clients and students, I often suggest that walking barefoot on grass daily is the most cost-effective option for grounding. If this is not possible because of factors such as living in a high-rise apartment, an alternative is to purchase a bag of organic soil typically for indoor use, which can provide similar brief contact opportunities. Not only does soil offer grounding benefits, but research suggests it might be a natural antidepressant, too. Remember: a little dirt can go a long way with grounding!
While studies suggest grounding may have potential benefits, further research is necessary to fully understand the effects and benefits of earthing, and the underlying mechanisms that lead us to a more balanced, healthy life. In the meantime, take off your EVA Crocs and polyester socks and go for a walk on the grass! You’ll thank me.
Annie Larson, a psychic medium, is a sought-after speaker, reader, teacher, and healer who has been featured in TV, radio, podcasts, magazines, and newspapers, including the Washington Post. She meets clients and students in-person in her office in Sterling, Virginia, via phone, and online. She hosts immersive retreats to help those looking to explore individual abilities. Join her October 24-26, 2025, for “Your Soul's Purpose Exploration Retreat.” www.MediumAnnieLarson.com.
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