OVERVIEW: Do grounding mats work? And if so, what are the best earthing mats to purchase?
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When I first learned about grounding/earthing over 15 years ago, this concept immediately clicked.
It was one of those &#;Ah ha&#; moments of clarity. I&#;ve been walking barefoot on the earth ever since.
But the reality is most of us spend way too much time indoors. And, we&#;re bombarded in every direction with EMF radiation from our devices.
Thankfully, there are grounding mats that can help us connect to the Earth even when indoors too.
In this guide, we&#;ll explore the science of earthing and if grounding mats work.
Then, we&#;ll review the best earthing mats on the market. I&#;ll also show you how to build your own copper grounding mat.
Let&#;s dive in &#;
What is Grounding?Grounding, also called earthing, is the process of connecting your skin to the Earth.
Next to our homes, a copper grounding rod is buried beneath the ground and connects to every outlet via a grounding wire.
In case of a short circuit, the ground wire provides a path for the electrical current to be absorbed into the ground. This grounding pathway helps avoid a shock or electrocution if you touch the short-circuiting device.
The Science Behind Grounding MatsLet&#;s quickly review the principles behind grounding so we can better understand how earthing mats work.
The same principle of short-circuiting applies to humans as well.
As Clint Ober, et al, explain in Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever ():
Earthing naturally protects the body&#;s delicate bioelectrical circuitry against static electrical charges and interference.
Humans are bioelectrical beings.
Unfortunately, we are being flooded with various levels of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) and radiation from our devices (WIFI, Bluetooth, etc) that our bodies are not designed to handle.
In essence, from an earthing perspective, our bodies are short-circuiting, leading to the prevalence of various symptoms including inflammation. (Inflammation is the precursor to most diseases.)
A direct connection with the Earth allows a transfer of negatively charged electrons from the Earth&#;s surface into the human body.
These electrons neutralize positively charged free radicals that cause chronic inflammation.
Excess free radicals damage our cell membranes and DNA, leading to cancer and other diseases.
Again from Clint Ober and the authors of Earthing:
[Earthing] facilitates the reception of free electrons and the stabilizing electrical signals and energy of the Earth. Earthing remedies an electrical instability and electron deficiency you never knew you had. It refills and recharges your body with something you never knew you were missing &#; or needed.
Simply put, our bodies are designed to stay connected with the Earth to support our natural bioelectrical functioning.
Two decades of scientific research suggest it does. Over twenty peer-reviewed research studies show the positive effects of grounding.
For example, grounding yourself to the Earth:
Preliminary studies show that earthing has a calming and balancing effect on the nervous system. My personal experience with earthing validates these studies.
Biophysicist James Oschman and author of Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis explains:
How Do Grounding Mats Work?The moment your foot touches the Earth, or you connect to the Earth through a wire, your physiology changes. An immediate normalization begins. And an anti-inflammatory switch is turned on.
Although there are many different brands of grounding mats, they all virtually operate the same way and use similar materials.
Grounding mats are generally made of leatherette derived from polyurethane infused with carbon to make it conductive.
A metal snap is embedded into the mat. This conductive snap connects with an insulated grounding wire.
This wire plugs into any grounding port in a standard three-prong, type B outlet (used in the United States).
The grounding port is wired to a large copper grounding wire used in most homes globally (with a few exceptions). Some individuals install a separate grounding rod exclusively for their grounding mats.
Many grounding mats are sold as kits including an outlet checker to confirm that the grounding port is working properly. You can also get an outlet adaptor if you live outside of the States.
I&#;ll explain how you can test if your grounding mat is working properly below.
Real-Life Experiences: Do Grounding Mats Work?The benefits of using grounding mats and earthing sheets are most notable in individuals who are suffering from:
Imbalances in one&#;s autonomic nervous system often cause or exacerbate these symptoms. Studies show that grounding can help reduce these symptoms. Thousands of reviews online corroborate this research.
Not only can grounding help to reduce anxiety, but it can also help increase your emotional resilience so you can cope with stress in more productive ways.
I suspect that individuals who live and work in environments flooded with EMF from modems, WIFI, and other devices will experience the most noticeable benefits from a grounding mat.
It&#;s always important to consider if the reported benefits of a claim are related to the placebo effect.
Although we now have preliminary research on the effects of grounding, the industry is still in its infancy. Sufficient double-blind studies have not been conducted in controlled environments to determine the exact efficacy of earthing or grounding mats.
In my opinion, the principles behind grounding are sound. If you&#;re attuned to your body, you&#;ll likely experience noticeable benefits after standing barefoot on the earth for 20 minutes.
But do ground mats work to the same degree? I personally can&#;t feel the same benefits from using a grounding mat, however, I wouldn&#;t expect to. Why? Because I use a grounding mat when I&#;m working with technology. That is, I&#;m sitting in an electrified room, staring at a monitor. These monitors emit unnatural blue light that negatively influences our cognitive functioning.
Although I can not prove it, I sense that grounding mats reduce the negative effects of EMF while grounding outside has more restorative benefits.
Comparing Different Types of Grounding MatsBefore we dive into the best earthing mats, let&#;s quickly review the different types of grounding mats and pads.
There are two different types based on common use cases:
Let&#;s look at each of these:
Earthing mats are highly versatile. They are primarily used for your desk or sitting area.
These earthing pads are placed under your keyboard or laptop. (As long as your skin is in contact with the mat, you are grounding.)
Earthing mats are generally 24 to 35 inches long and their width ranges from 10 inches to 23 inches. There are also earthing pads with larger dimensions used as yoga mats.
Earthing mats can also be placed on the floor where you make direct contact with your feet.
The other primary use case for grounding mats is for sleeping.
Earthing mats for beds are considerably larger (designed to fit the size of your mattress). These earthing mats generally work in conjunction with conductive grounding sheets.
Earthing sheets and grounding mattress pads have become incredibly popular over the last few years.
You can find thousands of positive reviews online from customers suffering from sleeping problems and inflammation before they start grounding while they sleep.
This is an entirely different category. See my review of the best grounding sheets here.
Top Picks for the Best Earthing Mat inThe truth is that most of the earthing mats on the market are relatively indistinguishable.
Earthing.com, however, is the pioneer in the space. They have patented materials they use in their grounding pads.
For years, Earthing.com was the only game in town. Every other earthing mat on the market is ultimately a knock-off of Earthing.com&#;s product.
That said, I&#;ve included two additional brands with positive reviews.
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Disclaimer: This review contains affiliate links.
Earthing.com is Clint Ober&#;s company&#;the pioneer in this space. Their products have gone through multiple iterations and development.
Their universal earthing mat uses a patented conductive carbon leatherette that&#;s third-party tested to be free of Azo dyes, phthalates, and lead. This is arguably the most durable and highest-quality option available.
Their earthing mats measure 12.5 x 29 inches (32 x 73.7 cm). In my opinion, this is the ideal size for those looking to ground themselves while working at a desk.
This kit includes:
(If you live outside of the U.S., you&#;ll want to add an outlet checker or safety adapter for your specific country.)
If I had to recommend ONE option as the best earthing mat, it would be this one. It&#;s the highest quality available. I&#;ve used an earthing mat for over a decade. (I&#;m using it right now as I type this.)
Shipping is free for orders over $89.
Earthing Harmony provides another solid option with their Grounding Universal Mat.
Their grounding mat follows a similar design using carbon for conductivity and an approximately 16-foot cord to connect to your electrical outlet&#;s ground port.
Their earthing mat is 10&#; x 27&#;&#;still within the sweet spot (ideal dimensions for tabletop use).
Shipping is free.
Earth + Moon offers carbon-based ground mats in several sizes including 22.6 x 35.4 inches and 18.10 x 26.70 includes.
Their kits include coil cords, outlet checkers, safety adapters, protective cases, and a grounding bracelet.
Shipping is free within the United States.
How to Make a DIY Copper Grounding MatAnother option is to make a do-it-yourself earthing mat. To do so, you&#;ll need:
You can use various conductive materials, but perhaps the easiest one to get is a pure copper wire mesh screen.
Pure copper mesh &#; something like this
Ideally, you&#;ll want it to be 99.9% pure copper.
Then, get a cord with an alligator clip to connect the conductive material to the grounding port on your outlet.
Grounding cord with clip &#; something like this
Now, all you need to do is attach the alligator clip to the conductive material and plug the cord into the grounding port.
It&#;s a good idea to test your outlet first with an outlet tester.
Outlet checker &#; like this one
Finally, if you want to make your copper earthing mat more &#;professional&#; looking, you have two choices:
I also used furniture tacks on the bottom of the grounding mat to ensure the copper mesh stayed secure and so it won&#;t scratch the floor.
Note: You&#;ll want to cover the edges of the copper mesh because it&#;s sharp and you can easily cut yourself. (So be careful in handling it.)
My Earthing Mat Set UpIn my case, I used furniture tacks from the hardware store to secure the copper mesh on a 12 x 29-inch piece of wood.
In my office, I use a Universal Pad from Earthing.com under my keyboard with the homemade copper grounding mat (with magnetics) under my desk.
This way, whenever I&#;m sitting at my desk, I&#;m always grounded.
What to Look for in a Grounding MatUltimately, the basic design of a grounding mat is consistent across the market. What differentiates one pad from another is the durability and quality of the materials.
I&#;ve been using the same Universal Pad from Earthing.com for 10 years and it&#;s still holding up. I doubt the same can be said about many knock-off brands available.
Also, make sure the snap that attaches to the mat is secure. If that snapping mechanism loosens, it will reduce its grounding effectiveness.
If you don&#;t already have an outlet tester, consider getting a complete earthing mat kit. Otherwise, the tester costs another 10 bucks or so.
Outside of the durability factor, look for a mat made with non-toxic materials. Unfortunately, all the earthing mats on the market are made with &#;leatherette&#; derived from polyurethane (plastic).
Earthing.com uses a 3rd party to ensure toxic materials like azo dyes, phthalates, and lead are not found in their mats.
Grounding Mats FAQs: Everything You Need to KnowOkay, let&#;s review a few commonly asked questions about grounding mats.
A common concern is the safety of connecting to the port of an electrical outlet for indoor grounding. It&#;s crucial to understand that mats plug into the grounding port only&#;not the electrical supply. There should be no electrical current going to or from the mat.
To ensure safety, use an outlet tester to check if the outlet is wired correctly before connecting your mat. Earthing.com kits also come with an additional safety adapter.
In fairness, the author of EMFwise does not recommend earthing pads because he questions their safety.
The optimal duration for a grounding mat can vary depending on individual needs, but generally, longer exposure is considered beneficial. I would aim for at least 30 minutes to an hour daily.
But if you place your mat in a strategic location&#;like under a keyboard/laptop or in front of a chair that you often sit in&#;there&#;s a good chance you&#;ll be grounding for much longer each day.
To maximize the benefits of your grounding mat, ensure consistent, direct contact with the mat, ideally with bare skin. Direct skin contact facilitates the transfer of the earth&#;s electrons into your body while discharging free radicals.
Regular use is also essential. Incorporating grounding into your daily routine, whether through a dedicated session or by using a grounding mat while working or sleeping, can enhance the effects of grounding, contributing to overall well-being and positive health.
Make it easy for yourself: keep your earthing mats in convenient locations where you will use them by default (like on your desk or couch).
The results many people report from using a grounding mat are encouraging&#;especially for individuals suffering from inflammation, fatigue, and sleep issues.
However, it&#;s also important to approach grounding with realistic expectations. A grounding mat is not a cure-all. And grounding does not replace the need for exercise or eating a healthy diet. Many alternative healthcare providers suggest using a grounding mat as a complement to a comprehensive health protocol.
For effective grounding, direct skin contact with the mat is suggested. Most shoes and many slippers have rubber soles that are insulators. Insulators are the opposite of conductors as they reduce the flow of electrons from the earth to your body.
Whenever possible, I use my grounding mat barefoot or with socks made from cotton. You can also find earthing socks made of conductive materials like silver that will provide a strong grounding connection.
Based on my experience and the research I&#;ve reviewed, using a grounding mat daily is safe and beneficial. The safety adapter included with most mats helps ensure protection from electrical risks.
I occasionally wipe it down with a damp cloth. Earthing.com suggests using a non-corrosive cleaner like soap with water on a damp sponge. Then, allow it to air dry.
Note: Avoid using any hand lotions, creams, or body oils before touching the mat. The materials in these products can oxidize and damage the conductivity of your mat.
While you are technically connecting to the Earth by using a grounding mat, in my experience, it&#;s not the same thing. Standing or walking barefoot outside for at least 20 minutes per day is relaxing and regenerative.
In my view and experience, earthing mats are used to counteract the bombardment of electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) indoors while grounding outdoors is physically and mentally restorative.
See this documentary: The Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science of Grounding:
How to Ground Yourself: 15 Effective Techniques
Best Earthing Sheets: Do They Improve Your Sleep?
Earthing Shoes Review: The Best Grounding Shoes on the Market
How to Relieve Jaw Tension from Stress and TMJ
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