Neuralgia and migraine are disorders which afflict millions of individuals throughout the globe. Headaches can range from mildly annoying to numbing, paralyzing pains and even when you are not working, it becomes hard to go through even simple chores. The life of chronic migraine sufferers is not very easy as every once in a while they are in search of a solution.

That is why Earthing or Grounding plays role here as a natural cure. This could be of great help in managing headache along with stopping migraines.

What Is Earthing?

Earthing, or Grounding, entails direct physical contact with the surface of the Earth. This is as basic as going shoe-less and moving on the grass, bare soil or sand. There is also the products such as Earthing mats, sheets, and patches that make it easy to ground internally. The premise here is that the Earth has a negative electric charge and when we ground ourselves on the earth we are able to pick up electrons from the earth that may well help to nullify free radicals and potential inflammation. As it is well known, inflammation triggers many kinds of chronic pain, such as migraines.

Why are Headaches More Common Nowadays?

Migraine is one of the modern diseases that has affected or can affect millions of inhabitants of the globe. Though migraines have been documented for centuries, current society has several causes that are peculiar to the modern life and this can tell more about why there are more migraine sufferers today than there were in the past.

1. Increased Stress Levels: Some of the potential causes for migraines are the new causes of stress that have emerged and that have attributed to the rise in the migraines. Today people’s lives are much more productive and busy due to the demands of work and family and social obligations of productive life. Migraines are known to be caused by stress and when people are under a lot of stress most of the time which is the case in the present world. From work pressure due to deadlines, financial pressure, family and many other roles that an individual is expected to play, the body is always under stress. This keeping on of the fight or flight system may cause higher cortisol level which may cause migraines to occur.
2. Technology Overload: Nowadays, people use smart phones, computers and different digital devices that make them expose to the screens. Sitting in front of a screen for long hours without a break is debilitating to the eyes and may cause eye strain that may cause migraines, neck strain which could cause poor posture, and light sensitivity which is a confirmed cause of migraines. The light from screens is particularly blue, and this disrupts our sleeping pattern and hence cause migraines. This is a relatively new problem among generations, which did not exist in the foregone generations and therefore makes migraines more common in the present generation.
3. Poor Sleep Patterns: Sleep is one of the most important aspects of life and plays a very important role in controlling migraines as well. Today, there are numerous individuals who develop insomnia caused by constant stress of the modern working world, constant use of the gadget screens and irregular sleep-wake cycles. Absence or irregular sleep is one of the potent inducers of migraines; therefore, when such problems arise, so does migraines. Long working hours, insomnia, and timely exposure to electronics give a poor sleep hygiene that interferes with physical circadian rhythms and hence increases the chances of migraines.
4. Sedentary Lifestyles: Everyday, the tendency of sitting for long hours at work increases due to increase in number of people doing desk jobs. Stagnation and inactivity results into poor blood circulation, muscle contraction, poor posture all of which cause headaches and migraines. These problems worsen when one is seated for long without moving from his desk, especially if working on a computer, thus, the rise in the number of cases of migraines among the workforce of today.

What Does Science Say?

Recent studies have it that, Earthing can greatly influence the decrease of pain and inflammation which are fundamental to headaches and migraines. In the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine there is a publication that measures the effects of grounding the human body and according to the results, the inflammation levels in the body can be reduced and the activity of the immune system can be improved. Migraine is complaint with inflammation in different organs of the body as well, therefore, Earthing may also assist in reducing the possibility of migraines/higher frequency of migraine attacks.

In addition, Earthing that has been noted to decrease cortisol level, is the body’s primary stress hormone. Stress usually arises due to pressure in our daily activities we are likely to develop headaches or migraines.

These painful events may involve headaches, inflammation and back pain among other conditions which Earthing could assist in modulating cortisol in order to prevent or manage the painful episodes.

People who struggle with headaches and migraines know how a discovery of natural remedy can change their lives. Earthing may work in several ways to reduce headache symptoms:Earthing may work in several ways to reduce headache symptoms:

1. Reducing Inflammation: The pain that comes with the migraine is most of the time brought about by inflammation. If you can manage your posture, then you might be able to alleviate some of the body’s inflammation and therefore, have less of a headache.
2. Improving Circulation: Sometimes, headaches are thus as a result of reduced blood supply to the head. By using earthing, it has been ascertained that blood viscosity reduces and hence making ways for improved blood circulation within the body. Increase circulation can relive tension headaches and migraines in addition to numerous other health benefits.
3. Lowering Stress Levels: Stress is especially if prolonged as one of the main causes of headaches and migraines. Earthing assist in balancing cortisol thus lowering on stress that may cause headaches and calming the nervous system.
4. Better Sleep: Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep causes headaches most of the time. Earthing has been associated with a better sleep cycle and this in a way reduces the chances of a headache episode occurring.

Real-Life Experiences: How Earthing Alleviated Migraines

Scientific evidence is still lacking but people’s testimonies of having tried Earthing for migraines and for headaches gives hope. Here are two examples:

Migraine relief from a Maine homemaker: A 44-year migraine sufferer from Maine, described Earthing as a great help to her situation in healing migraines. How effective it used to be when the migraines were with a pain degree of 8 out of 10, which lasted for hours and then lingered for days. Subsequently, introducing Earthing by using an Earthing sheet that she wrapped herself in, her headaches could be relieved quicker and sometimes even lowering her pain’s intensity to only a 2 - 3 on the scale. 

Lorraine Lopez’s Story: Lorraine, thirty- seven, a mother of five from California began Earthing in September by taking the barefoot walk on grass and the sand on the beach. From December she started sleeping well grounded and realized that there was changes in the occurrence of headaches. Lorraine used to get migraines, at least three times a week, but once she started Earthing her migraines slowly faded away. She also said that the tremors in the back of her head which used to scare her, ceased entirely. She has continued to practice Earthing and she have not had a migraine to this date.

Earthing: A Simple Guide On How To Practice It

If you want to try Earthing as a way to manage headaches or migraines, here are a few simple steps to get started:

1. Spend Time Barefoot Outdoors: Earthing can be done in a very simple way with the choice of the natural ground such as grass, sand or soil through which one can start walking with bare feet. It is recommended that you spend approximately 30 mins to an hour each day especially when you start to develop slight headache or migraine.
2. Use Earthing Products Indoors: If it is not always possible to walk barefoot outdoors, one can use an Earthing mat or sheet in working, sitting or sleeping area. They let you remain earth-bound inside and will be particularly useful for those suffering from chronic migraines.
3. Relaxation and Earthing: Moreover, it combines with other relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation or gentle movements, including yoga. A combination of these can assist in clearing your mind, the levels of stress are decreased, thus the chances of a migraine or a headache are unlikely.
4. Make It a Daily Habit: The biggest lesson I could relay to those who want to practice Earthing is that it has to be done consistently if one is to enjoy the full benefits that come with the activity. No matter whether you go for a barefoot walk, or use any grounded product inside your home, it is advisable to make this practice an Earthing habit.

Final Thoughts: Earthing As Natural Medicine for Headaches

It is not a good thing to be forced spend most of your time either in bed or at home since headaches and migraines make life unbearable, but Earthing has proven to be a useful remedy to this problem since it has no side effects. No matter whether one occasionally has tension headaches or constantly suffers from migraines, grounding oneself might relieve the body. Through personal success stories and encouraging scientific evidence, Earthing is an approach to which anyone who is in search of a natural cure for headache should try.

Basically, if you are sick of headaches or migraines and want to avoid pills, why not try Earthing?

Sources:

1. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine: “The Effect of Earthing (Grounding) on Human Physiology”: This study explores the science behind how Earthing helps with pain, inflammation, and improving sleep. Read the study

2. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI): “The Effects of Grounding on Inflammation, the Immune Response, Wound Healing, and Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases”. This article discusses the broader impacts of Earthing, including its role in reducing inflammation and boosting immunity, both crucial for managing migraines. Read the study

3. The Earthing Institute: Earthing Research and Testimonials. The Earthing Institute offers a wealth of research articles and personal stories about the benefits of grounding, particularly in relation to pain relief and migraines. Visit the Earthing Institute