Do Grounding Pads Really Work?

Grounding Pads, sheets or mats: 

By: Marcy Schoenborn

What They Are (in real-people terms)

Grounding pads or grounding sheets are basically conductive fabric or mats that plug into the ground port of an outlet (or a grounding rod outside).
The claim: by connecting your body to the earth’s electrical field, you reduce inflammation, improve sleep, and balance your nervous system.

That’s the pitch.

Pros — What Might Actually Happen

There are a few small but interesting studies. Nothing earth-shattering, but worth noting.

1. Possible nervous system calming

Some research shows grounding can reduce nighttime cortisol levels and help regulate circadian rhythm.
People often describe: “I sleep deeper,” “my mind chills out,” “I wake up less.”

2. May reduce inflammation or pain for some

A few pilot studies found reduced inflammatory markers or pain perception after grounding.
It’s not universal, but some people with chronic pain or stress report benefits.

3. Feels soothing for certain nervous-system-dominant clients

This one’s more practical: clients who’re highly sympathetic-dominant (stress chemistry running hot) sometimes find a grounding mat feels like a weighted blanket for the nervous system.

4. Safe for most people

As long as it’s properly grounded and not plugged into a faulty outlet, the risk is low.

Cons — The Stuff People Don’t Talk About

Here’s where it gets real.

1. Evidence is limited

The studies we do have are small, often funded by grounding companies, and don’t meet the gold standard of clinical rigor.
Translation: interesting, but very preliminary.

2. Doesn’t fix the root causes

If someone has:

• poor sleep hygiene
  
  
• chronic inflammation from diet
  
  
• hormone dysfunction
  
  
• stress overload
  
  
• screen exposure at night
  the grounding sheet won’t override all of that.
  
  

It’s more “nice-to-have” than “thou shall sleep like a baby.”

3. Risk of electrical issues

If:

• the house is old
  
  
• outlets aren’t wired properly
  
  
• there’s dirty electricity
  you can end up increasing exposure to low-level electrical noise, which defeats the purpose.
  
  

Most clients never check their outlets.

4. Placebo effect is real

This isn’t a bad thing—but it is a thing. A lot of the benefit comes from the act of doing something intentional to support sleep.

5. Not ideal for people with certain medical implants

Pacemakers and ICDs are the main concern.
It’s not “dangerous,” but these individuals should check with their cardiologist first because grounding could theoretically alter electrical fields.

So—Do They Work?

For some people? Yes.
As a replacement for real sleep hygiene? No.

Most of the benefits clients report are:

• decreased stress
  
  
• slightly deeper sleep
  
  
• less restlessness
  
  
• feeling more “settled” at night
  
  

But the people who notice the biggest improvements tend to be:

• high-stress, high-inflammation, poor-sleep clients
  
  
• those who sit in front of screens late
  
  
• those who walk barefoot never
  
  

People like you—already dialed-in health?
They usually notice only mild or no changes.

My Bottom-Line Recommendation

“It’s a low-risk, potentially helpful tool. Not magic, not a cure-all. If you use it alongside healthy lifestyle habits, you might get a little extra boost.”

If a client wants to try one:

• choose a reputable brand (Earthing, Grounded.com, Ground Therapy)
  
  
• test their outlets with a grounding tester
  
  
• don’t expect it to fix insomnia caused by diet, alcohol, stress, or hormones
  
  

Citations

(These are the better-quality studies we have—still small, but legit.)

1. Chevalier, G. et al. "The Effects of Grounding on Inflammation, the Immune Response, Wound Healing, and Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases." Journal of Inflammation Research (2015).
   
   
2. Ghaly, M., Teplitz, D. "The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2004).
   
   
3. Sokal, K., Sokal, P. "Earthing the human body influences physiologic processes." European Biology and Bioelectromagnetics (2007).
   
   

Brown, R. et al. "Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons." Journal of Environmental and Public Health (2012).