Would earthing help?

[sjrd50]

I would be interested to know if anyone had tried an earthing sheet and if it had helped with their RLS

[Hidden]

Heard about this but dont know of anyone it helped.

[Madlegs1]

Would one really need it ,if one was a well grounded person?😜

[Hidden]

Have just done some reading up on these.

Trying to look beyond the hype, they are after all a bit more expensive than ordinary sheets and perhaps a little unhygienic. If you wash them a lot it will destroy the conductive elements.

The idea behind them is that because we spend a lot of time electrically isolated from earth then we don't neutralise the build up of a positive electrical charge due to various things.

The things that most commonly seem to be cited are free radicals, electromagnetic radiation and positive ions generated by electrical devices.

Excess Free radicals have been found to have some connections with ill health, aging and inflammation. There's some evidence that chronic inflammation underlies many chronic health problems.

It's true that electrical devices do produce positive ions in the air and we can breathe them in.

It's not true that free radicals are necessarily positively charged. Some are, some are negative, some neutral. It's not their charge that causes damage it's their chemical reactivity.

It's true that electromagnetic radiation can induce electrical currents in some materials. After all that's how your radio, your smartphone and your microwave oven work. This is however more pronounced in metal than flesh. (Ever put a spoon in the microwave?)

This doesn't necessarily make things more positive however.

There do appear to have been a few small scale studies on the effects using earthing sheets on such things as blood viscosity and blood cortisol.levels (the stress hormone). It seems that only one study had a control group, i.e. the other studies did not consider the placebo effect.

Most of the "evidence" is anecdotal i.e. what people who use earthing sheets have said. Putting the placebo effect aside, cognitive dissonance theory suggests that someone who's forked out a considerable amount for one is not going to say it doesn't work unless perhaps they already think of themselves as an idiot.

It might be interesting to do a study to see if there's any connection (NOT electrical) between owning an earthing sheet and low self esteem.

I digress!

So after all that, if we accept that there's an association between being excessively positively charged and health problems is it true that we get positively charged, because we spend a lot of time electrically isolated from the earth?

Yes we do. Well at times. I once had a car that every time I got out of it I got an electric shock. I got one of those dangly things that hangs off the back skirt and drags on the ground.

When I worked in a hospital, (decades ago), they had these synthetic cellular blankets and when you made a bed, every time you touched the metal frame you got zapped! If you did it at night you could see blue flashes.

You may have built up a positive charge as you're reading this, to find out, just touch something metal. If you get zapped then , yes, you were positively charged.

Did you try it?

I bet you weren't!

The other telling thing is, guys dealing with sensitive electronic equipment wear earthing straps because a static discharge (a zap) damages circuits. Are they any healthier because of it?

Static is the positive charge we can build up that an earthing sheet will ground i.e. neutralise. It doesn't mean it reduces free radicals.

My conclusion is don't waste part of your pension (that took all those years working to pay for it) on buying an earthing blanket, but if you would feel you're doing something positive by buying something, do buy (less expensive) antioxidants (free radical scavengers) and eat root vegetables grown in Lincolnshire (high levels of selenium in the soil).

If you want to keep earthed during sleep, get one of those earthing straps, attach it to your wrist or ankle and run a wire to the nearest radiator.

unless your a qualified electrician I wouldn't plug it into a mains socket like the adverts suggest.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I have worn those straps when working with circuit boards, they were attached to the working bench i sat at. Cant say i felt any different from wearing one.

[TheDoDahMan]

I'll admit it. I bought the sheet; it came with a wrist strap or two as well, if I recall correctly. I used it for two or three weeks, and yes, I plugged it into the electric socket, as the ground wire in the electric system of the house is what connects the sheet to "earth." Well, it worked the same as the bar of soap that I put between the (regular) sheets, in an experiment some months earlier. The difference between the two was about eighty-some dollars. So if you're only half as dumb as I, send me $40 and I'll send you the grounding sheet.

[Hidden in reply to TheDoDahMan]

The radiator's just as good as long as your central heating has copper pipes. All copper house plumbing is earthed or at least should be.

Aaaaah nice hot bath - - - ZAP

[TheDoDahMan in reply to Hidden]

OMG, Manerva, are you okay?!!

(Yuk, yuk)

[Jelbea]

While looking for something to help severe RLS a few years ago I looked into this earthing business. Now if you really knew me you would know that it is hard to part me from my money so I did not purchase. However, in one of the articles it said you could “Earth” yourself by walking on grass. As this cost nothing I tried it and found it a lovely cooling sensation and I still do this when all else fails. I don’know about the earthing aspect but the “free” help is good!!!!

[Madlegs1 in reply to Jelbea]

Peeing directly onto the ground is the best way to earth oneself.

Reconnecting with Gaia!😍

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

Not a good idea in a thunder storm !

[ravioli]

I bought an earthing sheet, didn't help a bit.

[ahome4u]

I have tried every imaginable lotion, potion, and devices on this beautiful green earth to help with severe RLS. Recently I was looking into earthing/grounding. I am not willing to invest in the blanket, as I have wasted so much money in the past trying desperately to find a cure/solution. I too, like jelbea, have tried walking outside in my bare feet. I have been vegetable gardening. After a rain it feels good to feel the mud squish between my toes and in the evening I sit out in my backyard in a lawn chair with my bare feet on the ground. While all this feels good it is too early to tell if it will help alleviate RLS. I'll keep you posted.

[Lauramorris]

Hi, Everyone I know this is a bit late but I too I’m interested in potentially trying an earthing sheets. Reading all the above comments has made me think that Consciously/subconsciously we have all tried earthing ourselves In one way or another to ease RLS. I on many occasions have stood with Barefeet on my metal staircase trying to get rid of what feels like surplus electricity from my body. I must say that mine seems to be the most unbearably able around the time leading up to a full moon, Electro magnetic pull? The best relief I have had though has been through acupuncture which I went to because of migraines, I feel the too are connected in my case. It mostly stopped my RLS. Unfortunately though My acupuncturist has not been allowed to continue working during this most recent lockdown, So I am suffering once more. Has anyone had any success with earthing products?