4 Earthing Tips for Travellers: Stay Grounded in 2024

Do find yourself feeling exhausted on your travels? You’re not alone! In the excitement of exploring new places, it’s easy to lose touch with the earth beneath your feet. Staying grounded while on the go is possible with some considerations, plus it’s simple and free! Let’s take a look at these 4 practical earthing tips for travellers that will keep you connected to Mother Earth, no matter where your adventures take you.

1. Barefoot Beach Walks: Nature’s Ultimate Grounding Experience

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of sand between your toes or cool waves lapping over your feet. And guess what? It’s not just enjoyable – it’s incredibly grounding! In fact, it’s about as grounded as you can get!

• Why it works: The earth’s surface is rich in negative electrons. When your bare skin makes contact with it, you absorb these electrons, which can help neutralise free radicals and reduce inflammation.
• How to do it: Kick off those shoes and take a stroll along the shoreline. Let your feet sink into the sand and feel the texture change as you walk from dry to damp areas.
• Safety first: Always be aware of your surroundings. Not all beaches are maintained to the standard we’d all like. Keep a check for sharp objects or hot sand, and also remember to respect local customs about barefoot walking.

2. Urban Park Pit Stops: Finding Earth in the Concrete Jungle

If there’s no beach nearby – that’s no problem! City parks offer great opportunities for earthing.

• Seek out green spaces: Most cities have parks or public gardens. Make it a point to visit these during your urban explorations. Just like with beaches, consider safety too and watch out for sharp objects and hazards. If it looks like a perfect golf course green, then you probably want to find somewhere a little more rustic looking that hasn’t been hit with a myriad of fertilisers and weed killers.
• Quick grounding exercise: Find a patch of grass or earth. Stand or sit with your bare feet touching the ground. Take deep breaths and imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth.
• Something is better than nothing: Whilst a good 30-40 min earthing session is ideal, even a 5-10 minute park break between sightseeing can help you reset and recharge.

3. Grounding in Your Accommodation: Earthing Anywhere

Your earthing practice doesn’t have to stop when you return to your hotel or rental.

• Portable grounding mats: Consider investing in a travel-sized grounding mat. These can be plugged into the grounding port of an electrical outlet, allowing you to earth while you sleep or work. Be mindful about the type of accommodation you are staying in and whether it’s likely to have a suitable earth as part of its sockets. Be sure to source a grounding tester to check you have a good connection. You may also need you to source a local plug equivalent for your mat too so that you can safely hook into the earth connection.
• DIY grounding: If you’re staying on the ground floor and have access to the outside, pop out onto that balcony and place your feet in the sand or soil. Be sure to check it’s safe to do so.
• Grounded sleep: This one is harder to control, but check for natural fibre sheets (like 100% cotton) if you are using a mat as this will improve conductivity between your body and the earth.

4. Mindful Outdoor Connections: Maximising Your Grounding Time

• Engage multiple senses: I try to treat this as just one part of a holistic approach to health. While grounding, why not pay attention to the feel of the earth, the smells of nature, and the sounds around you. This mindful practice can enhance your connection to the environment.
• Try different surfaces: If you can get in touch with the earth’s natural surface, you’re in with a good chance of being able to ground. Experiment with various natural grounds like grass, sand, soil, or even rock. Each can provide a unique grounding experience. Take 5 or 10 mins to slip those shoes off and reconnect with earth’s potential. Every minute you manage to spend connected to the earth will be helping you!
• Combine with gentle movement: Incorporate slow, deliberate movements like tai chi or some gentle stretching while grounded to enhance body awareness and your sense of connection to the earth.

Remember, earthing is about making direct physical contact with the Earth’s surface. While traveling, focus on finding opportunities to connect your bare skin with natural grounds, whether it’s at a beach, in a park, or even just a small patch of grass. These simple practices can help you stay grounded and balanced, no matter where your journey takes you.

Before you go

If you found these earthing tips for travellers useful then why not check out other articles on seasonal grounding and earthing. If you are a little sceptical then why not head over to the Earthing Institute to learn more on some of the research that has been done to date. Another useful resource is the Earthing movie that was created with Clint Ober.