Earthing is the process of neutralizing Free Radicals- otherwise known as, “oxidants.” As a brief review, all atoms (and thus, the molecules that they compose) will ideally have an even number of electrons on their outer ring. But oxidants are atoms whose electrons get used up during various physiological processes such as breathing and metabolic activity, and so do not contain an even number of electrons on their outer ring. Because they have an uneven number of electrons on their outer ring (meaning that one of the electrons is unpaired), the oxidant looks to steal an electron from other atoms/molecules in the body. Because these other atoms/molecules form various soft tissue and cellular structures, oxidants damage these tissues and structures. Earthing (also known as, "grounding") is the process by which the earth donates electrons to these renegade atoms and stabilizes them.

Grounding is what happens when the body is in direct contact with the earth. It can be done when sitting or standing outside in your bare feet or it can be done in the comfort of your home electronically.

Earthingcanada.ca offers earthing products which include earthing blankets- the focal point of this post. Since 1962 it has been a requirement for all in-home electrical outlets to be attached to a “ground rod.” This means that each outlet has a wire that is grounded outside into the earth itself, receiving electrons therefrom. As such when these blankets are plugged into your outlets at home they use a patented technology to resist the electrical charge and connect themselves to the ground rod mentioned. In other words, a power outage will not affect the function of the blankets because they do not run on electricity. In the same way, you don’t have to worry about leaving them plugged-in while not in use.

The studies here demonstrate the potential benefits of having the body grounded during sleep. The effects included increased vagal tone (measures activity of the Vagus nerve as an indicator of the state of “calmness” in the nervous system), decreased cortisol levels, decreased blood viscosity, decreased markers of inflammation, improved HRV (heart rate variability), and others. Of course there are other studies that have been published on the positive effects of grounding, and there are more being done all the time as our understanding of the science continues to evolve.

Because of the high levels of sympathetic nervous activity induced by the forms of stressed placed on athletes discussed in Part 1 of this series, earthing blankets are another effective tool that athletes can use on their quest for longer, healthier, more fulfilling careers.

Happy Training.

#torontosportsperformance #recovery #therecoveryrules #grounding#earthing #earthingblankets

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