Can Grounding Protect You From Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)?
Yes, grounding can reduce your body's exposure to electromagnetic fields, or EMFs. EMFs are invisible electric and magnetic forces from electronic devices, power lines, Wi-Fi routers, and lighting. Your body can pick up and hold onto this electrical energy when you're not grounded.
When you're grounded, your body has a direct path to release that electrical energy into the Earth. Instead of acting like a sponge and holding the charge, your body becomes more like a wire that safely lets the current go. That's how grounding acts as a buffer against environmental EMFs.
What the 2016 Study Found About Grounding and EMF Exposure
A 2016 study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine looked into how grounding affects body voltage and current when you're around regular household EMFs. The researchers had 50 male and female participants aged between 12 and 79. They measured the body voltage when participants touched a lamp and then again after grounding them.
The results were precise. Grounding reduced the AC body voltage by an average of 58 times compared to when participants weren’t grounded. That’s a massive drop. The currents recorded while grounded were extremely low—way below what humans can even feel, and far below anything harmful.
The main takeaway? In regular home environments filled with EMFs, grounding dramatically reduces the electrical voltage your body holds. And it does that without introducing any new risks.
Newer Evidence: Grounding as Electromagnetic Hygiene (2023 Study)
Another study published in 2023 in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing took a broader look at how grounding supports what researchers now call "electromagnetic hygiene." That term refers to practical ways to lower your exposure to artificial EMFs. Grounding is one of those ways.
The study pointed out that grounding provides a low-resistance path for electric charge to flow out of your body and into the Earth. That simple connection reduces voltage buildup and limits your interaction with EMFs from your environment.
This isn't just theory. The study explained that the practice of grounding helps create a more balanced electrical state inside the body. And since modern life surrounds us with electronics and wireless signals, grounding may be one of the easiest and most natural ways to reduce our load.
What This Means for Your Daily Life
So what can you actually do with all this information? First off, if you want to try grounding, it doesn’t have to be complicated. Standing or sitting barefoot on grass, soil, or sand is the easiest way. Even a few minutes can make a difference. But if you're indoors most of the day, there are grounding products like sheets, mats, and wristbands that connect to grounded outlets or rods outside.
Learn more: How to naturally ground yourself to the earth
If you work in front of a computer all day or sleep next to devices, grounding may help lower the electrical charge your body picks up. People often say they feel calmer or sleep better after grounding regularly. Whether or not you feel something right away, the electrical part is measurable—your body voltage does drop when grounded.
Are There Any Risks to Grounding Around EMFs?
Based on the research, grounding yourself in environments with common EMFs doesn't seem to be risky. The 2015 study showed that even when people grounded themselves in homes with typical electronics and lighting, the amount of current flowing through the body stayed extremely low. It wasn’t enough to feel, and it wasn’t close to harmful levels.
The important thing is to use safe grounding tools, especially indoors. That means grounding mats or sheets that are properly designed and tested. If you’re connecting anything to an outlet, make sure it plugs into the grounding part and not just any electrical socket. The goal is to connect to Earth—not to live electricity.
Final Thoughts: Should You Try Grounding for EMF Protection?
If you’re looking for a simple way to reduce your body’s exposure to EMFs, grounding is worth trying. The research backs it up. It lowers your body voltage, gives built-up electrical charge a way out, and does it safely.
It doesn’t require a big investment either. Just getting outside barefoot regularly is a start. If you want something more consistent indoors, grounding products can help. But no matter how you go about it, the idea is the same: connect to the Earth, and let your body find balance naturally.
Given how much time we spend around electronics, grounding might be one of the easiest habits to develop to protect our health in a tech-heavy world.
References
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Brown, R. (2016). Effects of grounding on body voltage and current in the presence of electromagnetic fields. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 22(9), 757-759.
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Jamieson, I. A. (2023). Grounding (earthing) as related to electromagnetic hygiene: An integrative review. Biomedical journal, 46(1), 30-40.
