Barefoot Walking for stress relief and more
Despite our current incarceration, hopefully you can access a tiny portion of the earth to run your hands through or expose your feet to or simply wander your home barefoot. As these tips below show, it really can be soothing and grounding.
Perhaps instinctively we know walking barefoot offers an easily accessible means of connecting to the earth and in a roundabout way, connecting back to yourself. Here we look at some of the reasons why.
Improve your sleep
Why? Grounding, or earthing as it is also known, is thought to influence physiological processes, induce positive pondering and deeper thought, as well as help us relax. All of these are vital to our wellbeing but perhaps it is the effect barefoot walking has on our circadian (24 hourly) rhythms, run by our numerous internal body clocks, that leads to a better night’s sleep.
Reduce pain and inflammation
The link between stress and pain, which in turn affects sleep, is well known. A test group of people who, after complaining of pain, stress and trouble sleeping, slept on conductive mattress pads mimicking the effects of sleeping directly on the Earth. They reported either a great reduction or a total disappearance of their troubles after eight weeks. The scientists identified reduced levels of the cortisol (stress) hormone in the entire group.
But if you don’t fancy sleeping on the ground each night, barefoot walking could help to harness some of the earth’s energy.
Regulate your nervous system, decreasing feelings of anxiety and stress
Going outside in general can help regulate emotions and balance your nervous system. The joy and lightness we can all feel after spending time out in the warm sunshine demonstrates this perfectly. Letting your body come into direct contact with the soil can decrease anxiety and stress even more. Hence why we find gardening relaxing, despite the hard work it involves.
The earth carries a negative charge and we carry a positive one due to all of the electromagnetic waves we come into contact with each day. Positives always need to be grounded to earth, so logically if we walk barefoot we are grounding ourselves with every step.
Some people believe that migraines are linked to prolonged exposure to computers and radiated light and we are probably all increasing our exposure to screens of late. This literal earthing of our bodies may help reduce the free radicals, in turn offering some relief from headaches and migraines too.
Boost energy levels
As well as helping us to relax, connecting with nature can also boost our energy levels. We have an inbuilt ability to pick up on the higher frequencies emitted by nature which increase our energy levels in a purely natural way. Unlike the energy buzz we might get from caffeine for example, this natural energy does not impact our ability to relax and sleep. Instead it works to revitalise not just our bodies but our minds and indeed our souls.
