# What Is Earthing and Does It Work? The Truth About Grounding Tech & Products Yolanda Perez / DupePhotos.com October 30, 2025 Skimm'd by [Sami Roberts](/content/contributor/sami-roberts/index.html). From Instagram comments to an IRL remark, ["go touch grass"](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/xe1dko/what_does_it_mean_to_go_touch_grass/) is a snarky call to get off screens and spend more time in nature. But how much does touching the earth — [also called earthing](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/earthing) or grounding — actually benefit your health? While some studies and the countless companies selling grounding products would have you think it’s a miracle cure, the research isn’t definitive. ### Expert Interviewed Satjit Bhusri, MD - founder of [Upper East Side Cardiology & Vein Institute](https://www.bhusriheart.com/) in New York City and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at [NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College](https://weillcornell.org/satjit-bhusrimd-9547) ### Why the grass isn’t greener…than actual medicine Research on earthing has suggested that [electrons from the Earth’s surface](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22291721/) can [reduce inflammation](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/), speed up healing, [minimize blood clumping](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3576907/), and improve [immune response](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265077/), [heart rate](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30448083/), and sleep. If access, time, or a hatred of bugs keeps you from the outdoors, there’s no shortage of indoor grounding products supposedly providing similar benefits. But let’s look a little closer: Many studies are small — 60 or fewer participants — or are funded by the very companies selling grounding technology. More research is needed to prove anything, including understanding [how long and often you’d need to practice](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/) earthing to benefit. It's also not clear how effective grounding products are [compared to actual earth.](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/earthing) Many wellness products aren’t FDA-regulated, so trying to determine if a $90 grounding mat works could be an expensive experiment. ### But I like going outside. Let’s be clear: [Connecting with nature isn’t bad for you](/content/newsletter/skimm-well/nature-deficit-disorder?utm_source=newsletter_sw&utm_medium=email/index.html). Research aside, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t feel better after a mental health walk or a [break from social media](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-022-00015-6#Sec2). Spending time in nature [has long been a way to be more present](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-earthing-5220089), in part because it can provide mental clarity, says [Rachel Goldman](https://www.drrachelnyc.com/), PhD, a licensed psychologist and clinical assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. ### **Your move** Before you budget for a grounding mat, keep in mind that earthing hasn't been definitively proven to treat anything. [Satjit Bhusri](https://www.bhusriheart.com/), MD, a cardiologist and founder of Upper East Side Cardiology & Vein Institute, says to think of earthing as a complementary — not replacement — practice to your existing health care.