Do grounding sheets work? Experts explain what it means to 'ground' your mattress

I first came across the idea of grounding your bed on TikTok. According to its advocates, grounding your mattress is supposed to improve your sleep, decrease your stress, and boost your energy levels. All you need, they say, is a grounding sheet, which allows electrons from the Earth to travel into your body.

If you think it sounds a little sketchy, you're not alone − there is very little scientific evidence to support the idea of a grounding sheet. It's unclear why absorbing electrons from the earth would make such a difference to your health and wellbeing when you gain and lose electrons all the time – it's why you might get a static shock after shuffling across a carpet. Still, there is some scientific evidence to endorse the practice of grounding, or connecting with the earth, as a method of relaxation, which improves sleep.

As H&G's resident sleep writer, I'm always looking to learn how to sleep better. While I'm skeptical that grounding your mattress will improve your sleep, I can understand your curiosity. That's why I asked the experts to tell us more about the practice of grounding, how to ground your bed, and whether grounding sheets really work.

Do grounding sheets work?

Before we begin, it always helps to define our terms. I spoke to Jeff Harris, the sleep expert at Delcor Ltd., to get a better understanding of what grounding actually is.

What is grounding?

Jeff explains that 'grounding, also known as earthing, is the practice of connecting oneself to the Earth's electrical charge.' It's all about making direct contact with the surface of the Earth. When you walk barefoot through the grass or press your palms against the dirt, and electrical energy passes from the soil to your body, you're grounding yourself. There's plenty of scientific evidence to support the benefits of grounding, as well as peer-reviewed investigations into the biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep.

The theory of grounding is that our electrical energy is inherently imbalanced and we need contact with the Earth to restore order. Since most of us would rather lie in our own beds than on the ground outside, we need to find another way to connect with nature while we sleep. That's where grounding sheets come in.

How do grounding sheets supposedly work?

Grounding sheets plug into the wall and carry an electric current that's meant to imitate the natural electric energy of the Earth, indoors. The idea is that electrons flow from the Earth into your body, resulting in a variety of health benefits from reduced inflammation to improved immunity. You can see a set of grounding sheets in action in the TikTok below.

@down_to_ground

♬ Love on the Weekend - Aria Ohlsson

If you want to put grounding to the test, you'll need to buy a set of grounding sheets online. You could try to make your own grounding sheets using conductive materials, such as copper or carbon, but I'd advise against it. Store-bought grounding sheets tend to have built-in resistors, but home-made ones don't, which increases the risk of electric shocks as you lie in bed.

Take your grounding sheet and place it directly on your mattress. Now, it's time to time to establish a ground connection. Your grounding sheet should come with a cord that connects to a grounding point, be that a grounding rod outside or a grounded outlet in your bedroom wall. Before you get into bed, be sure to test the system to make sure it's properly grounded. You can use a Multimeter Tester, like this one from Amazon, to check for continuity. Once your grounding sheet is up and running, you should regularly check the socket to make sure it stays clean and conductive.

Do grounding sheets work?

CEO of MattressNextDay Martin Seeley started out in the sleep industry in the 1980s, so he's seen plenty of sleep fads come and go. In the absence of conclusive scientific evidence, Martin is not quite sure what to make of grounding sheets.

In a pilot study published in the Journal of Inflammation Research, 'researchers claimed that grounding the body led to a significant reduction in chronic inflammation markers,' Martin explains. 'Grounding is believed to help regulate the body and stress response and promote relaxation. Lots of sleepers report feeling more balanced, energized, and mentally refreshed when using grounding bed sheets.' Such anecdotal evidence might be enough to convince customers, but I'll need to see hard proof of the efficacy of grounding sheets before I give them my seal of approval.

FAQs

Should I ground my bed?

As long as you test your grounding sheet and follow electrical safety protocol, it shouldn't do you any harm to ground your bed. We're yet to see conclusive scientific evidence that grounding sheets really work, but it shouldn't hurt to try.

How else can you ground a mattress?

If you don't want to buy a new set of sheets, but you'd like to try and ground your mattress, then you could experiment with all sorts of grounding solutions. There are grounding mattress pads, grounding pillowcases, and grounding blankets. With that said, the best way to ground yourself is to get outside in nature − and it's completely free.

Final thoughts

Until there's conclusive proof that grounding sheets work, I won't be buying a set for myself. Still, if you're looking for ways to reduce inflammation and cut your cortisol levels, then it shouldn't hurt to give grounding sheets a go. Just make sure to regularly check your power outlet to keep it clean and connected.