Grounding Your Bed: What To Know Before Running Electricity Through Furniture

Crystals and incense, move aside. There's a new way to connect to the Earth, and it's called grounding (sometimes also referred to as Earthing). First things first, the definition of grounding. Grounding your bed means attaching a wire that runs from the Earth to your bed, essentially bringing the outdoors into your home. It may sound a little odd, but grounding has been picking up steam as a way to give you a good night's sleep, reduce stress, and generally perk up your mood.

So, how substantiated are these claims? It turns out, not very. Not only have all studies related to grounding had a small subject sample size, but they are also scarce. Most of the benefits of grounding appear to be from those who have tried it and shared their experience anecdotally rather than hard scientific evidence. Moreover, as Dr. Chad Orzel, professor of physics at Union College, shared in a 2014 blog post, the science behind grounding doesn't even make sense. This is because of our bodies being accustomed to encountering electrons from the Earth on a daily basis with no discernible effect on our health and well-being.

Still, if you are interested in trying out grounding for yourself, it won't cause you any harm. The easiest way to make your bed grounded is to lay on top of a grounding mat. You simply need to connect the grounding mat to a rod or outlet (this will differ depending on the mat you buy). If you're worried about discomfort, place the mat beneath your sheet or a comforter. If you don't want an extra layer, grounding bed sheets are a good alternative. They work the same as a grounding mat and are designed with conductive materials so you receive the energy and electrons from the Earth as you sleep.

Again, keep in mind that the research done on grounding and its benefits is minimal. While the practice of grounding isn't necessarily dangerous, you could just be wasting your money on something that doesn't actually work. Nevertheless, if you're looking to achieve some of the benefits mentioned above, perhaps try some other scientifically proven methods before you try grounding — for example, meditation for insomnia – before taking the plunge and plugging in your bed.