Boost Heart Health By Reducing Stress Through Earthing

Research shows that getting grounded can improve hearth health and cut your risk of heart disease by decreasing your stress levels

You know that reducing the amount of stress in your body is extremely important for maintaining optimal heart health. Not only does chronic worry trigger the steady release of stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, it throws off the balance between the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system—the two branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) responsible for speeding you up and slowing you down.

While decreasing your stress levels isn’t always easy, studies have now shown that people who practice Earthing or grounding experience a reduction in stress and a normalizing, balancing effect on the ANS. Such positive effects on the body have a major impact on heart health.

The Research that Reveals the Heart-Health Benefits of Earthing

One study in particular, which I participated in back in 2008, measured the effect of Earthing on heart rate variability (HRV). HRV refers to the natural beat-to-beat alterations in your heart rate. The greater your HRV, the more able your heart is to respond to stress in a healthy way. People with low variability are less able to quickly speed up and slow down, or “go with the flow.” Therefore, they are more prone to stress-related disorders, including heart disease.

For the study, each participant’s HRV was measured for 40 minutes while grounded and again while not grounded. The results showed that Earthing has potential for balancing the nervous system and supporting heart health. This and other studies have led us to believe that the ANS may be the first major body system to respond to Earthing, and that it has positive effects on heart health and overall health.

Getting Grounded for a Healthy Heart

Including Earthing as part of your heart-health program is easy. Here are some how-to tips:

• Simply go barefoot outside if conditions allow. Just 40 minutes a day can make a difference.
• Grass, sand, dirt, and concrete are all conductive surfaces from which your body can draw the Earth’s electrons.
• Wood and vinyl are not conductive surfaces.
• If going barefoot outside isn’t realistic, a warm basement with a concrete floor will also work. Simply sit there and read or just relax with your bare feet resting on the ground.
• Sit or sleep on a special grounding device that plugs into any standard three-pronged wall outlet.

To find out more about grounding and Earthing products that ground you while you sleep, sit, or work, read Earthing (Basic Health, 2010, and available from amazon.com), the book I coauthored with Clint Ober—who discovered the health benefits of connecting with the Earth—and my writing colleague Marty Zucker.

More Dr. Sinatra Advice on Earthing for Heart Health

What beneficial effects does Earthing have on circulation to boost heart health? Learn how Earthing can keep your heart healthy by thinning your blood and lowering your blood pressure.

Which medications might be affected by the heart-healthy practice of Earthing? Find out how the heart-health benefits of Earthing may lead to a reduction in some of your medications.

Want an in-depth explanation of how Earthing boosts heart health? Read more about how reconnecting your body to the natural electrical field of the Earth’s surface can cut your risk of heart disease.