An Introduction to Grounding
Grounding is a powerful tool for calming the nervous system because it helps bring your body and mind back to the present moment. When you place your bare feet on the ground or engage in other grounding practices, you activate sensory receptors in your skin that send signals to your brain, reinforcing a sense of safety. This simple act connects you to the earth’s natural electrical charge, which some studies suggest can reduce inflammation and regulate the autonomic nervous system. By engaging with the physical world in this way, grounding interrupts the cycle of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses, shifting the body out of a state of hyperarousal or shutdown into one of greater balance and ease.
Grounding Techniques to begin
I recommend using grounding practices as one of the first ways to ease into self-regulation.
Here are some practices to begin with. Choose one to try:
- Place your hands on your heart and breathe towards your heart. This is to reconnect your heart-centre with your body and mind.
- Feel your feet on the ground; push your toes into the surface underneath you. Imagine the Earth is reaching up to support you and hold you.
- Touch a textured surface nearby, allow your skin to notice the sensations.
Grounding can help you come to the present moment when things feel overwhelming. You may feel your nervous system begin to settle.
From a scientific perspective, grounding stimulates the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, often referred to as the “rest and digest” mode. This part of the nervous system counteracts the stress response, lowering cortisol levels and reducing heart rate.
Grounding techniques, like those above or standing barefoot on grass or placing your hands on a tree, offer a direct way to reestablish this more regulated state.
By focusing on tactile sensations and connecting to the earth, grounding helps the body release stored stress and return to a state of regulation, making it an accessible and highly effective tool for anyone managing stress or nervous system dysregulation, and certainly for everyone with a chronic condition.
