What is grounding?
Grounding, sometimes referred to as earthing, may be one of the most useful calming techniques around–and many of us don’t know much about it! It has been heavily overlooked by healthcare professionals, but has been shown to reduce inflammation and anxiety, and improve focus and sleep (Menigoz et al, 2020). When we talk about grounding, we refer to the practice of becoming more in tune with our bodies, making meaningful movements, and recognizing our bodies as they interact with the Earth.
Although it sounds a bit abstract, grounding is actually pretty straightforward in practice. Whether you make it a daily habit, or just practice it when you feel anxious or spaced out, grounding is an excellent tool to help you be at peace with yourself and with the noisy world around you.
Here’s an example of an easy, straightforward grounding method that you may find useful:
The 5,4,3,2,1 Method
This methodology is well outlined and easy to remember. Wherever you are, make a conscious decision to take a break and practice this method! Here’s how it goes:
- Find 5 things you can see. Whatever they are, just find them! The TV, the carpet, a book on your shelf, it doesn’t matter what items they are.
- Find 4 things you can feel. Put your hands on the armrest of your chair, feel your feet against the carpet, touch your hair and focus on the texture. Again, it doesn’t matter what you choose!
- Next, 3 things you can hear. Be it the neighbor cutting grass or the fan in your laptop, there are a million noises around you.
- Now, 2 things you can smell. Do you have a candle burning? Can you smell the pencil in your hand?
- Finally, 1 thing you can taste. Pop a mint in your mouth, or a small piece of chocolate. Focus on what it tastes like.
This exercise and others like it are great to incorporate into your daily routine. Make a point to do this at the busiest point in your day for even one week. At the end of the week, take time to reflect on how you feel! You will likely find that it has helped you be more mindful, and your daily routines may be more manageable.
What else can I do?
If you’re inspired to focus on mindfulness in your daily life, there are many steps you can take. Consider contacting us at Interpersonal Growth to get in touch with a licensed counselor who can give you even more grounding tools and help guide you on your journey to mental wellness! You can call us today at (734) 531-9878, or send an email to [email protected].
Swekel, Carly. (2020)
Menigoz, W., Latz, T., Ely, R., Kamei, C., Melvin, G., & Sinatra, D. (2019, November 14). Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations. Retrieved June 12, 2020, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550830719305476