Can You Do Too Much Grounding?

With the many benefits of grounding (earthing) being discussed – from better sleep to less inflammation – a curious question arises: Can you do too much earthing?

In other words, is it possible that being connected to the Earth’s energy for too long or too often could be harmful or have diminishing returns?

Can You Do Too Much Grounding?

The straightforward answer based on current knowledge and research is no, there’s no known “overdose” of earthing. Grounding is generally considered a safe, natural state for the body, and humans evolved in constant contact with the Earth.

However, let’s explore this topic more fully, including any precautions and what science says about continuous grounding.

The Body Takes What It Needs

When you ground yourself, you’re essentially balancing your electrical state with that of the Earth. The Earth has a virtually infinite supply of free electrons. Your body will absorb these electrons to neutralise positive charges (free radicals) in your cells, thereby reducing oxidative stress and inflammation (Oschman et al., 2015).

But importantly, this isn’t a force-feeding process – the body uses what it needs, and any excess doesn’t get stuck in you; it simply dissipates harmlessly. Once your electrical potential is equalised with the Earth, you’re in a state of equilibrium. You can’t “overcharge” like a battery left too long on a charger, because the human body is dynamically regulating itself. If anything, being grounded continuously keeps you at that optimal baseline.

Think of grounding like drinking water – you drink to quench thirst and rehydrate; once you’re well-hydrated, you naturally stop – you don’t keep absorbing water endlessly. Similarly, your body won’t absorb more electrons than it can handle.

What do studies say?

Studies that have measured various physiological parameters during prolonged grounding have reported positive changes (e.g., reduced blood viscosity and improved cortisol rhythms) and no adverse effects (Chevalier et al., 2012; Ghaly & Teplitz, 2004). In these experiments, subjects were grounded for many hours at a time (some even 24 hours continuous in hospital settings) with only benefits observed.

If “too much earthing” were a problem, we’d expect to see negative symptoms in such cases, but that hasn’t been the case.

Modern Lifestyle vs. Continuous Grounding

For most people today, the challenge is getting enough grounding, not too much. We wear rubber shoes, live in insulated homes, and often go entire days without touching the Earth directly. Historically, humans (and all other animals) were grounded almost all the time – walking barefoot or with leather (conductive) footwear, sleeping on the ground or on conductive natural materials, etc.

Our ancestors likely were connected to Earth’s electrons virtually 24/7, aside from rare instances (like during lightning storms when they might seek shelter off ground briefly). Their bodies were in constant contact with Earth and they did not experience “too much grounding” issues.

In fact, proponents of earthing suggest many of our chronic health issues may stem from this modern disconnection (Chevalier et al., 2012). From that perspective, re-grounding ourselves is restoring a natural state, not introducing a new, risky treatment.

Safety of Long-Term Grounding

Research and practical usage have shown grounding to be very safe in the long term. Here are some points to reinforce that:

• Medical Studies: Grounding has been used in various studies for weeks or months. For example, in one study, individuals slept on grounding sheets nightly for 8 weeks, showing significant improvements in sleep and cortisol levels with no negative side effects (Ghaly & Teplitz, 2004). Another study kept people grounded for 72 hours under medical supervision to assess effects on blood chemistry and found positive changes, such as reduced inflammatory markers, with no harm (earthing didn’t cause any abnormal changes in blood electrolytes or anything concerning).
• Sensitive Populations: If grounding posed any inherent danger, it would likely be most pronounced among the most sensitive groups. Premature infants in NICUs have been grounded in experiments to see if it helps their health – and it did, improving their vagal tone and potentially helping protect them from stress (Passie et al., 2017). These are babies weighing only a few pounds, and grounding was gentle and beneficial. Similarly, many elderly or chronically ill individuals have used grounding with only improvements noted. No reports exist of anyone suffering damage from simply being grounded too long.
• Electrical Safety: Some might worry about being plugged into a grounded outlet at all times (when using grounding products). Rest assured, as discussed earlier, grounding devices only connect to Earth, not to electrical mains, so they don’t “leak” electricity into you. They’ve been designed with safety resistors. There’s essentially no difference between standing barefoot on the actual ground outside all day and being connected via a proper grounding cord inside – both are continuous grounding, and both are safe.

Can You Feel “Over-grounded”?

While there’s no harm in long durations, a few people have reported mild, transient symptoms when they start grounding a lot – things like slight dizziness, or exhaustion, or tingling. These are not signs of damage but likely signs of the body adjusting. Think of it like starting a new exercise: you might feel odd or sore initially as your body responds.

With grounding, if someone who has been ungrounded for years suddenly grounds for many hours, they might experience a detoxification effect or shifts in circulation they’re not used to. For example, improved blood flow might initially cause a warm flushing feeling. Or lowering of stress hormones might make one feel unusually tired as tension releases (a bit like how you can feel drained after a massage). These feelings are generally short-lived and often positive, as they indicate physiological changes.

To use a specific term some users of earthing mention, there is something called a “healing response” that occasionally happens – basically, as inflammation is reduced, the body might temporarily process out wastes and you could feel achy or fatigued for a day. This isn’t common, but if it happens, one can just reduce grounding time slightly and build up gradually.

It’s not “too much earthing” in a dangerous way; it’s just a sign to pace yourself if needed.

Listen to Your Body, But Don’t Fear Earthing

The best guideline is to listen to your body. If you love being barefoot on the Earth for hours, go for it. If you find after a whole day of being grounded you feel fantastic, there’s no reason to cut it short – keep it up! If you find some discomfort, you can adjust the duration. But know that the act of grounding itself is not causing damage, it may just be your body reacting to positive changes (or you might be coincidentally experiencing something unrelated).

It’s also worth mentioning: some people ask if you can thin your blood “too much” by earthing all the time (since it reduces blood viscosity). For a healthy person, grounding keeps blood at a healthy fluidity, not extreme thinning. If you are on prescription blood thinners, it’s wise to let your doctor know you are doing grounding as part of your wellness routine – not because grounding will suddenly make your blood dangerously thin, but because it could theoretically enhance circulation.

Doctors generally consider it safe, and it’s not known to cause bleeding issues. In fact, grounding’s effect on blood is comparable to or less than that of eating a diet with omega-3 fatty acids – healthy, mild improvements.

One more scenario: thunderstorms. During a lightning storm, you wouldn’t stand outside barefoot (for reasons beyond just earthing!). If you’re grounded indoors and lightning strikes, your building’s grounding system should protect you, but as a precaution some choose to disconnect during intense storms.

This isn’t because of excessive earthing biologically, but rather an external safety consideration.

Conclusion: Ground as Much as You Can Enjoy

All evidence points to grounding being something you can do as often and as long as you want. There is no known upper limit on beneficial effects – many people actually find that the longer or more regularly they ground, the better they feel. Our bodies are meant to be in touch with the Earth, and returning to that state frequently or continuously is generally restorative rather than harmful. Scientific literature has documented a host of benefits from earthing with virtually no drawbacks (Chevalier et al., 2012; Oschman et al., 2015).

So, rather than asking if there’s too much earthing, perhaps the better question is, “Am I getting enough?” If you’re only grounding for a few minutes here and there, try increasing it and see if you feel even better. Many enthusiasts aim to be grounded at least part of every day (or all night while sleeping), because the effects compound. In the end, let comfort and practical sense guide you.

Enjoy the reconnection with Earth as much as possible – your body will likely thank you, and you can have peace of mind that you’re not overdoing a good thing. Try our grounding bedsheets and grounding mats if there's no nearby access to the best grounding surfaces.

References

1. Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S. T., Oschman, J. L., Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: Health implications of reconnecting the human body to the Earth’s surface electrons. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012, 291541. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291541
2. Oschman, J. L., Chevalier, G., & Brown, R. (2015). The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Journal of Inflammation Research, 8, 83–96. https://doi.org/10.2147/JIR.S69656
3. Passie, R. A., Doheny, K. K., Gordin, Y. B., Hinssen, H. C., & Palmer, C. A. (2017). Electrical grounding improves vagal tone in preterm infants. Neonatology, 112(2), 187–192. https://doi.org/10.1159/000475744