Those of us who are electrically or electromagnetically sensitive know about ‘earthing’ as a means of drawing excess electric and electromagnetic energy back to the earth where it is harmlessly discharged – rather than have it whizzing around our bodies and damaging us! It is normally achieved by connecting shielding fabric, bed sheets, mats or paint, via copper wire, to pipes or an electrical circuit which discharge to earth.
However, I was interested a few weeks ago, to get an email from a one-time subscriber to the now defunct Foods Matter magazine, telling me how her own health had been greatly improved by using an earthing sheet on her bed and an earthing mat under her computer – much better sleep patterns and a general ‘calming down’ effect. She had heard that earthing could also be useful for ES and, as she knew I was a sufferer, very kindly thought she would tell me about it.
While the earthing theory for electrosensitives is both valid and helpful, there is another aspect to earthing of much wider significance. The earth is (to quote the Groundology brochure) ‘a massive reservoir of negatively charged free electrons’. By coming directly in contact with the earth (through walking barefoot on the earth or connecting ourselves via ‘earthing equipment’ to the earth) our bodies can absorb these negatively charged electrons that are then able to neutralise the reactive oxygen species (free radicals) which are so heavily involved in the body’s immune and inflammatory response – at the heart of so many chronic, degenerative modern conditions.
The theory is not new – in the late 19th century, a back-to-nature movement in Germany claimed many health benefits from being barefoot outdoors, even in cold weather. But the displacement of leather soles in our shoes by rubber and plastic, and the advent of insulating mattresses and insulated houses, have meant that we now rarely come into direct connection with the earth .
This disconnect and its implications are investigated in some depths in an article just published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health which quotes a number of studies looking at the positive effects of earthing on sleep patterns, chronic pain, fibromyagia and muscle soreness, stress, heart rate variability, glucose regulation and osteoporosis. There was also a discussion paper covering much of the same research in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine last year.
If you read the papers and decide that it might be worth a try, grounding yourself could not be simpler. Walking barefoot on the earth as often as possible is, obviously, the cheapest and easiest option but, if you live in an urban environment – or the ambient temperature is 10 degrees below – then a grounding sleep sheet or a mat might be a better bet – although do see below before you get too excited. In either case it is better for your skin to be in direct contact with the grounding mat or sheet, but the electrons will normally make it through thin fabric such as a sheet.
A bed sheet is obviously a good idea as you remain in constant contact with it for, depending on your sleeping habits, between 6 and 9 hours so get a really serious electron hit. I have used an earthing sheet for several years – and have a small one with which I travel so as to minimise the electromagnetic radiation to which I am subject in other poeples’ electrosmoggy houses! You could also have a foot mat on which you rest your feet while at your computer or anywhere else that you remain for a while – but this does require you to be barefoot to get the full benefit.
Grounding sheet material (cotton intwerwoven with stainless steel) can be had from EMFields – not cheap, I fear, but it washes and will last for ever – along with earthing leads that you just need to attach to your sheet. Mouse mats, foot mats and earthing leads can be had from www.groundology.com (a mouse mat complete with earthing leads will only cost you a very modest £30) along with grounding patches, grounding wrist bands and, if you do not have a properly earthed outlet, a grounding rod kit.
Groundology can also offer you around a dozen scientific research papers on earthing/grounding and a book, Earthing, by Clint Ober – strongly recommended by the lady who contacted me in the first place.
However….. And this is a big ‘however’. While walking barefoot on the earth presents few problems (apart from cold feet in winter) the efficiency of the various ‘grounding’ or ‘earthing’ devices depends entirely on how good their connection with the earth actually is. As anyone who is involved in electronics (audio electronics, for example) will tell you, earthing is somewhat of a black art and creating a genuine, reliable ‘earthed’ connection can be very difficult. The only really fail-safe way to do it (as they do in Russia, for example) is to make your ‘earthing connection’ via an ‘earthing stake’ – a large metal stake driven at least a metre into the ground to which your devices to be earthed are connected. Although electrical circuits in buildings are nearly always ‘earthed’, the ‘earthing’, while sufficient to prevent electrical accidents, rarely remains pure and uncontaminated so, for electrosensitives, far from delivering the promised benefits, it might do quite the opposite!
I say this from personal experience as, inspired by the articles quoted above, I thought I would invest in an ‘earthing’ mouse mat – a great bargain at under £30, I thought. When it arrived, last Thursday afternoon, I set it up and plugged it into one of the plug strips which sits at the back of my desk. However, this plug strip is one of two, four-socket strips (all sockets full of cables which, although all very low current, have a number of connections) which in turn are plugged into the ring main. Although two of the sockets are taken up by dirty electricity filters, the potential for electrical contamination within the room, whatever about the whole house, is significant.
I used my computer and new mouse mat on Thursday evening and on Friday, and again, briefly, on Saturday morning. I then got side tracked by discovering a great pile of carpet-munching moths under my desk. So, much against my principles, I cleared the area out and sprayed it with noxious anti-moth spray. I then left the window wide open to dispel noxious fumes and did not come back for a few hours. When I came to my computer some hours later, after about half an hour I felt the tell tale signs of having been electromagnetically ‘rayed’ – in my case an ache in the chest – something that I have not felt for many months, thank goodness!
At first I thought it must be the moth spray (electromagnetic sensitivity often goes hand in hand with chemical sensitivity although I have never displayed any symptoms of the latter) so continued to leave the window wide open. Off and on over the weekend, I came back to the computer but each time I found that, after about 15 minutes, the pain in my chest came back – but gradually subsided once I left the computer. By this morning (Monday) the room had had 48 hours with a full gale blowing through it, so I felt that any remaining fumes must have been dispersed. I therefore closed the window and sat down to work – and once again, within minutes, my ache had come back.
And then, suddenly, I thought of the mouse mat – in constant touch with my hand and plugged into the electrical circuit although, in theory, only connecting me to the earth… I unplugged the mat and brought back my old one. It took a couple of hours for the ache to subside but, since around 2pm (it is now 7.30pm) I have been back at my computer with no sign of a resurgent ache…
Who knows whether the connection between my mouse mat and the ground failed at the junction with the plug strips, in the cabling connecting them all together, at the junction with the ring main or at some other point in the house’s electrics, all of which are well over 30 years old. But what was obviously happening was that instead of the mouse mat connecting directly with the earth and transporting negative electrons my way, it was merely plugging into the buzzing electrical world under the back of my desk and transporting it back to me.
Electromagnetic sensitivity is cumulative and, since I have been very well for a long time now (over a year), my resistance is relatively high. So it took all of Thursday evening and Friday for my close connection with my electrical circuits to actually start to affect me, but once it did the ‘lead time’ got ever shorter. Had I not sussed out the problem, within a few days, I would no doubt have been feeling thoroughly unwell and unable to watch the television, go into my local CFL-lit shops etc, etc.
So, I am not saying for a moment that earthing, or indeed an earthing mouse mat, can not be hugely beneficial – I am sure that it can. But I am saying that, if you are to use an earthing device, you need to be very sure that your connection with earth is pure and true…. My next experiment will be to connect my mouse mat to the radiator pipes via a tightly done up Jubilee clip and see how well that connects to the earth outside. Watch this space!
Hi Michelle, thanks for your article. I enjoyed reading it. I wondered whether you had come to any other conclusions or had any other experiences with ‘grounding’ technology. I am quite sensitive and feel electromagnetic radiation very clearly with my laptop, effecting my vitality strongly as I feel tired and muzzy through computer use. Thanks for your help. Av
Hi Av – Well…..
I have been using a grounding sheet on my bed for several years now and always take a mini one (cot sheet!) away with me when I travel and sleep on that. But I cannot really say whether that specifically has made any difference as it is only one of such a wide range of things that I have done over the last few years to reduce my sensitivity! (Details here if you are interested….) The only one that I can really identify as having a really positive effect is the oxygen therapy, although I am sure that all of the others have contributed somewhat.
As far as the computer is concerned, I do not use a laptop although I think that modern laptops with LED screens are much more tolerable than some of the older technologies. (Not sure that any are made in plastic casings these days but you should use one in a metal casing as that at least should prevent much of the radiation generated by the computer itself escaping.) I use a large metal-cased free-standing computer which lives over the other side of my office and a freestanding LED screen. I have also filtered all the plug strips into which everything is connected, thus minimising the dirty electricity generated. (Do you know about filters and dirty electricity? If not you can find out here….)
Not sure whether that helps….
Hi Michelle, thank you very much for this, your blog is really good, thank you for sharing your experiences. I think it is very helpful for me in feeling a lot more well-being. I work in IT so its tricky!
I have recently bought a grounding mat and combined with chi gung exercise it has made quite a lot of difference to my sensitivity.
I have a theory about how this might work. Not sure if you will find this of interest or know this already but there is a theory that has not been so thoroughly investigated by science about bio-electricity that creates the aura. Chi gung is an energy exercise which -smoothes out the rivers of electricity- -so to speak- actually that is my interpretation, but combined with the grounding mat i think helps to discharge everything to the ground. Otherwise despite connecting to the ground because ones body has pockets of energy stagnation or stagnant pools of electrical energy/chi, one will be effected by other charges in the environment as these electrical charges will react. Hope you don’t mind me thinking out loud, thought it might be of interest.
Hi Av –
What a fascinating theory – but it makes sense to me. I have never tried Chi gung, although I know a number of people who swear by it. However, I have had some small dealings with EFT, which is an another energy medicine which clears the meridians of emotional blockages or, as you put it, smoothes out the rivers of electricity/electrical energy/energy which run through the body and which, no doubt, do discharge to earth. I have not specifically tried EFT in connection with electrosensitivity – my main experience is with OCD/obsessions for which it seems to work very well _ but I might revisit it in the light of your Chi gung experience.
I certainly find that the most helpful therapy, if I have been ‘radiated’, is Chinese acupuncture which, once again, is clearing the energy channels – which would very much feed into your theory.
Best – Michelle
I was really interested to read this article- and the comments. I am electrosensitive, have been for many years, but manage to keep well with a good diet, shielding and avoiding environments that make me ill. I love to earth myself by walking barefoot or connecting to the ground so was really interested in the grounding sheets, especially the reports of how good they were for people with ES – I bought one to try out but within days was feeling really unwell, reacting to everything and found it was impossible to sleep, the sheet was earthed to the ground outside my house using the grounding kit provided. I immediately removed the sheet but it took days to get back to where I was before. This is the first report I’ve had of another ES sufferer having an adverse reaction, is reassuring to see it’s not just me! So just to say thanks for the article.
Hi Michelle, thank you for your positive comments. I’m glad you find it of interest and of use. It is something I am investigating using myself as a laboratory but one can never be sure it would work for everyone. Interesting to hear about your experiences with EFT and acupuncture. In five element acupuncture there is an ‘Earth’ element also relating to grounding (which is also interconnected with the other elements), in my case I have a very strong constitutional disharmony in the Earth element so this seems to fit my experiences with electrical sensitivity.
Even with chi gungs one must be picky because some of them can charge up the aura without encouraging much grounding, and its a bit of an art form sometimes to use it but I do hope you have success if you do try it. I found acupuncture very much more reliable in that regard. with best wishes Av
HI – both to Lisa and Av –
Lisa – really interested to hear about your experience – and I am now wondering whether my grounding bed sheet is as great an idea as I thought it was! Not that I have had any adverse experience with it that I am aware – I thought the opposite, but after the experience with the mouse mat with which I most definitely did have significant symptoms which, as with you, took quite some time to subside……. Both are grounded via the same electrical wiring to the same bit of ‘ground’. Maybe I should experiment. If anything interesting happens I will report back!
Av – also very interested to hear about the ‘earth element’ – I will discuss with my acupuncturist. Meanwhile, I might just pick up on the EFT again – but not at the same time as removing the grounding sheet or none of us will be any the wiser!! More anon…
I have just had an email notification from EMFields, the excellent company which supplies a wide range of electromagnetic shielding and protection devices, that they can now offer earthed laptop trays.
Most laptop computers produce very high electric fields, and if they are connected wirelessly to the internet, they will also be producing very high RF fields.
These high quality, attractive, laptop trays with a choice of images are both earthed and shielded, and drop the exposure levels to both electric and RF fields quite dramatically.
The laptop tray consists of a small cushion which rests on your lap, and a flat surface where the laptop rests.
They also offer links to recent research that suggest links between excessive on-lap laptop usage and testicular cancer, infertility and a number of other reproductive problems.
Thank you for sharing.
Some more postulations I wanted to share is that metals themselves are crystals and so can have a negative effect on sensitive people in that way. Some crystals have a positive effect but only if it suits ones body, so I’m not sure if surrounding oneself in metals is a good idea.
Lisa’s approach seems to be the best one, of strengthening the body. Just been camping and I’m actually sensitive to all the elements in the atmosphere. Was sleeping on the ground for a week (that is definitely the best way to ground) but was effected by the ‘cold’ and ‘damp’ energy from the ground. Throughout the week though doing ‘qi gong’ i was able to better cope with this and became much stronger and more contained (energywise). Still feel the fields so a lot of healing still to do…..
I have just been pointed to this pdf covering research and personal experiences in grounding.
Thank you Michelle. By the way a brilliant chi gung to do on a ground mat is as follows (no teaching required -unless it makes no sense!):
1) Bring your awareness into all of the body.
Move and open up all of the joints in the body in a systematic way starting with the fingers and finishing with the toes. Being sure that the mind appears in each joint as you move through them. This will activate the stagnant energy that accumulates in the joints producing stiffness and pain. It is not enough to just move the joints, you have to feel the movement with full awareness.
2) Loosen off the flesh and fascias of the body.
Shake the flesh around the bones starting with the hands and finishing with the feet. This will release the stagnant energy in the fascias of the body.
Jump around gently, and shake it all about (so to speak)… and let out a sigh to let your energies sink to the ground. Try to add appropriate sound to your sign to create a vibration to help ground further your bodily energies. The sounds you make should come without thinking about it or any effort once you get used to it.
you should feel slowly more connected to the earth and the space around you.
To finish off you can imagine your energy relaxing and being stored in your body 2 inches below the navel in the dandian energy centre. Focus your attention here to a few minutes.
Wow – that sounds wonderful, Av – will definitely try.
I did a day a few years ago on the many different forms of meditation. I had always assumed that they all required you to be still and focused but several of the ones we were shown were quite the opposite. A ‘shaking’ meditation was one of them – which sounds quite like your ‘shaking’. You just stood and ‘flop/shook’ everything for three to four minutes – extraordinarily both relaxing and energising!
Hope it works for you 🙂
Have you seen this one:- http://www.weepinitiative.org/livingwithEHS.html?
When someone writes an article he/she maintains the image
of a user in his/her mind that how a user can be aware of it.
Thus that’s why this article is great. Thanks!
Hi, thanks for your article! I bought a silver earthing sheet because I’ve had trouble sleeping over the last year or so. But after using for about 8 weeks, it felt like my health only declined. (I tried it in two different places)
My sleeping never improved whilst using it, and I cant be sure if it was a coincidence, but I was getting chronic dizziness that went away when I stopped using the sheet. I also had a few more aches and pains than usual when I used the sheet but that could also be a coincidence.
Anyway, I told the manufacturer and they were understanding and happy to organise a refund, however they sent me a cord to connect to the pipe under the sink in my bathroom first. But I am nervous to try it out.
My question is: Is a power outlet more ‘risky’ than the water pipe? In other words, might the water pipe connection be more ‘clean’ ? Or are they both basically exactly the same…. ?
Thanks for your advice!
I am not expert, Beth but I would definitely say that the pipe should be safer the the power outlet. My own experience with a grounding mat plugged into a power source was the same as yours and I definitely think that I was just getting power fed back.
However I would suggest that you wait for a few weeks before trying it again to get back to a relatively stable position. And then try out again attached to then pipe. Good luck!
thanks for providing useful information on Earthing
IS there anyway to get a meter checker to make sure it’s grounded and nothing else is coming through?
I swear on Earthing (site) they show a device that can show if the mat or blanket or whatever is actually doing what its supposed to do.
I am sure someone does a meter, Nathan although I am not sure who. You could try https://www.beneficialenvironments.co.uk – they might know if they don’t do one themselves. There are also a number of resources on the ES-UK website which include some companies selling grounding items. http://www.es-uk.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/05.1-ES-Directory-2017.pdf
Good luck…
Hello, you can get an earthing connectivity tester from Wales, UK. I have one.
Amazon turned out to be no good for grounding products. Customer service from seller was very poor. Products not too good either. I lost money.
I then turned to Groundology which has proven to be very good so far. The owner is a UK qualified electrical engineer. He gets his items from USA.
https://www.groundology.co.uk/ >>> read scientific research.
Fabric grounding sheet > lost connectivity as I forgot to wash them with non bleach washing liquid. Fabric grounding sheet are useless now. Now use PVC grounding mats > much better. Pls read blog for more.
https://rainbow7light.wordpress.com/2019/06/08/grounding-earthing-benefits/
Cheers.
Hello, it has gone through now. If you have website in the comment box and also mention website in its box > counted as duplicate.
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Hello, you can get an earthing connectivity tester from Wales, UK. I have one.
Amazon turned out to be no good for grounding products. Customer service from seller was very poor. Products not too good either. I lost money.
I then turned to Groundology which has proven to be very good so far. The owner is a UK qualified electrical engineer. He gets his items from USA.
https://www.groundology.co.uk/ >>> read scientific research.
Fabric grounding sheet > lost connectivity as I forgot to wash them with non bleach washing liquid. Fabric grounding sheet are useless now. Now use PVC grounding mats > much better. Pls read blog for more.
https://rainbow7light.wordpress.com/2019/06/08/grounding-earthing-benefits/
Cheers.
Hello, this comment form did not allow me to place a second website url.
It only went through because I placed the second website url in the website box only. But, I want public to read it as there is info in it.
Thanks. UK