Grounding, or earthing, is an emerging lifestyle practice of connecting the body to the Earth. Knowing how to use a grounding mat in bed can equate to the real thing if you don’t have time to connect with the great outdoors.
A grounding mat is just one piece of equipment utilized in earthing. When plugged into a source, it emits an electrical charge that gets absorbed into the body. These electrons then do wonders for the body as they stabilize positive ions.
Learn What Grounding Is All About
Before we tell you how to use a grounding mat in bed, it’s best to learn something about ground therapy first.
You probably have heard about grounding when it trended in social media, and influencers were all abuzz with its amazing benefits. But the practice spans centuries ago, although not as popular as today.
Grounding is the concept of reconnecting to Earth by direct skin contact. It can be by sleeping on the ground or simply walking barefoot in nature. It’s also called earthing or green-footing.
Earthing aims to improve health and the quality of life. It springs from the idea that direct body contact with the Earth channels the energy that our body needs.
Our body is electrically charged, and so is the Earth. Establishing direct contact between them is likened to an electrical appliance wired to the ground. In an electrical installation, its purpose is to prevent damage and overload from sudden surges.
Grounding may work for the body that way. By balancing the electrical charges, it can also balance the ions inside. When it happens, the body regains its processes and may improve its functions. Grounding, according to research, produces better sleep, reduces inflammation and cures anxiety, among others.
How to Use a Grounding Mat in Bed
A universal grounding mat is one of the most popular grounding products owing to its versatility. A grounding mat can be a full-body earthing sleep mat, a smaller one for sitting or a footrest.
The larger one is great since you can use it in bed overnight when sleeping. You may even use it as a yoga mat or sit on it while meditating. You can also use it as a normal mattress protector when unplugged.
The purpose of a grounding mat is to deliver the same electric current as if you are sleeping directly on the ground. Thus, placing it underneath your bedding or covering it with a fitted sheet may defeat the purpose. A grounding mat is meant to be slept on directly.
Here’s how you use a grounding mat in bed for sleeping:
- Unroll the mat and place it on top of your bed or the floor.
- Connect the grounding cord on the mat to the grounding port. The grounding port in a three-prong socket is the round slot centered below the two vertical slots. If your electrical system doesn’t have that, you may connect a three-prong adapter to turn it into a grounded port.
- Get onto the mat and ensure that much of your skin is touching its surface. You can wear clothing just fine, better if made with natural fiber.
- Stay on the mat for at least 20 minutes for your first use to get the body to adapt to it. Increase the amount of time until you can sleep on the mat overnight without feeling nauseous.
Note: Grounding products are generally safe because there is no positive current in them. However, it’s important to ensure maximum safety when using the product since you are dealing with electronics. Make sure that the product is dry and keep it away from any sort of liquid and moisture. Use it with caution on children.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and unplug the product after use.
Earthing Products
An earthing product may come in many different forms. It is intended to provide the body with the same electrical charges that the ground offers.
These materials are made of durable conductive materials like silver or carbon sitting underneath a polyester material. When connected to the grounded outlet of an electrical source, the earthing product creates a pathway for the electrons. These are then absorbed by the body when it comes in contact with the grounding product.
An earthing product is a handy way of doing grounding without leaving the comfort of your home. It is best to keep one in case a long haul of bad climate keeps you from doing outside activity. It’s also great for people with mobility issues without troubling themselves much with grounding.
Some of the earthing products you can find are:
- Grounding mat
- Earthing sheet
- Blanket
- Yoga mat
- Socks
- Crib sheet
- Pillowcase
- Mousepad
- Pet bed
These products come with a cord that connects to the ground prong outlet of any grounded electrical system. You can use them while stationary, even when you are asleep since they mimic the currents released by the Earth.
Common Questions About Grounding
How Does Grounding Help With Insomnia?
Preliminary studies on grounding found that the technique lowers the cortisol level or stress hormone. With the body less stressed and in equilibrium, it can sleep undisturbed at length. A good night’s sleep creates a chain reaction as well.
You will wake up refreshed, less irritable, and with improved energy throughout the day. It will also enable you to fall asleep faster at night until your body adapts to a sleep routine.
How Can I Tell if My Grounding Practice Is Working?
You don’t really feel anything with your grounding mat while using it – no vibrations, pulsations, or movements. Some users reported odd feelings like nausea while emerging in its subtle energy release. But it should be fine after your body gets accustomed to the coursing energy.
You are the only gauge if the grounding therapy works for you or not. Observe changes in your body, sleeping habits, recurrence of chronic pain, etc. With grounding, the changes are also subtle, but the benefits you reap are long-term.
Some users claim to experience positive effects at least one week after grounding. A clinical trial on the grounding effect on sleep-tested participants for about 8 weeks to observe the difference.
Is Grounding Safe for Children?
Earthing benefits people of all age groups: pre-term and full-term babies, teens, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and older adults. Grounding products are helpful for managing sleep problems. But it’s still important to set aside some time for outdoor grounding.
Reconnecting with nature brings you a lot more benefits. When outdoors, you’re not only exposed to the frequencies of nature but also inhale fresh air and bask in its restorative visual appeal.
Is There Any Disadvantage With Grounding?
There is no solid evidence to prove or disprove it, but the disadvantage that researchers see about grounding is the use of dirty electricity. When we do grounding outdoors, all that we take are natural electrons. When we use grounding products, we take in what they call “dirty electricity.”
Dirty electricity sounds bad, but it refers to the high peak frequencies that the electrical wiring generates. It means that we are exposed to these short spikes of power from our electrical appliances.
The grounding system of an earthing product prevents the spike of current through the grounding cord. It is less likely that dirty electricity penetrates the grounded body, and further studies are done to validate this take.
Takeaway
Grounding is one of the techniques you can easily introduce into your lifestyle. Go out there, explore the great outdoors, keep your feet planted on the ground – literally – and see how things will work out for you.
You may also try Hooga earthing products like the grounding mat to give a good night’s sleep and all its promising benefits.