Travelling through different time zones can be seriously taxing on our bodies disrupting sleep patterns, brain function, heart rhythms, digestion and often spoiling our opportunities for adventure.
I have been aware of Earthing with its multiple health gains for some time but I had the opportunity to fully test and experience the benefits of adjusting my body clock when I travelled to the USA earlier in the year. On my return trip, from the time I left my family in Boulder in the USA till arrived home 30 hours later I had just 3 hours “head nodding” restless sleep sitting on aircraft. Ugh!
The recommendation is to connect your bare feet to any of the earth’s natural surfaces as soon as possible after arriving in the new time zone. Natural surfaces could be concrete, soil, sand, grass, or slate – not bitumen or wooden surfaces.
Shortly after landing and getting through customs, we stopped at a café near the airport for breakfast and I removed my shoes and put my bare feet on the concrete floor before we drove the 3 hour + from the airport back home to Port Fairy. Later in the afternoon, I went for a 30-minute barefoot walk on the beach and it was 8.30 at night before I went to bed – tired but no naps between. That was over 48 hours since I got out of bed.
I slept about 12 hours waking just once for around 20 minutes. The next morning I felt totally back in sync. I believe the barefoot connection with the earth totally re-adjusted my body clock also referred to as circadian rhythms.
It is also a common recommendation to change your watch to the destination time zone as soon as you board your flight (I forgot this time-pardon the pun) and of course drink plenty of water.
I am definitely a great advocate for grounding for all the multiple health benefits. It just makes sense that we are electrical in nature and when our bare feet meet the earth’s surface our bodies immediately start to equalize to the same electrical energy levels as our earth mother. Yes she is always looking after us.
Below is what Clinton Ober and his associates tell us in their book called Earthing. Placing your bare feet on the ground does some remarkable things including:
Defuses the cause of inflammation, and improves or eliminates the symptoms of many inflammation-related disorders
Reduces or eliminates chronic pain
Improves sleep in most cases
Increases energy
Lowers stress and promotes calmness in the body by cooling down the nervous system and stress hormones
Normalizes the body’s biological rhythms.
Thins blood and improves blood pressure and flow.
Relieves muscle tension and headaches
Lessens hormonal and menstrual symptoms
Dramatically speeds healing and helps prevent bedsores.
Reduces or eliminates jet lag
Protects the body against potentially health-disturbing environmental electromagnetic fields
Accelerates recovery from intense athletic activity.
Give it a try next time you travel.