Does a Grounding Mat Really Work? My 2-Month Experiment and Results

After writing about grounding and recommending it to clients, I realized—it was time to try it myself. This is the honest follow-up to that first post.(If you missed it, you can read the original here: “Get Charged Up: How Bare Feet (or a $30 Mat) Can Supercharge Your Energy!”) https://www.chevymermelsteinsleepcoach.org/post/get-charged-up-how-bare-feet-or-a-30-mat-can-supercharge-your-energy

A few months ago, I sat in on a professional development session with my sleep coach community. The guest speaker was talking about grounding—the idea that direct contact with the earth can help regulate your body’s electrical charge and support emotional and physical well-being.

She spoke about barefoot walking, grounding mats, and the body’s connection to the earth’s energy field. To be honest? It sounded a little like hocus pocus. Something out of a wellness documentary I’d probably never watch.

But it was also trending. People were talking. So I did what many curious health professionals do: I started recommending grounding to my clients.

It seemed harmless. A $20 grounding mat or a few minutes a day barefoot in the grass?

Why not?

When My Client Turned the Question Back on Me

A few weeks later, I found myself recommending grounding again—this time to a client struggling with anxiety and restless sleep. She paused and looked at me:

“Have you tried it?”

Boom.

I felt like a total fraud. Here I was, praising the benefits of grounding—talking up this “amazing $20 mat”—but I hadn’t used it once myself.

I wrapped up the call, opened my Amazon app, and ordered the mat. It arrived the next morning.

The First Few Weeks: Skeptic Meets Routine

I started using it every day, 20 minutes. Usually while I worked or read, with bare feet quietly on the mat under my desk.

My family was… concerned. Let’s just say they’ve seen me try some strange wellness tools before, but this one raised eyebrows. My kids laughed. My spouse made polite eye contact and left the room.

Truthfully? I wasn’t sold either.

But I told myself: six weeks. Give it a real chance. No expectations, just consistency.

Was Anything Happening?

At first, not really. I wasn’t falling into deep meditative states. I wasn’t glowing with newfound vitality. I wasn’t even sleeping much better.

But I kept showing up. Not for results, but out of curiosity. I’ve worked with enough clients to know: change often whispers before it speaks.

Still, there were small moments—tiny sparks—where I felt a little calmer. A little more present. Less reactive. Less scrambled. I couldn’t be sure it was the mat, but I noticed it.

And then something really unexpected happened.

The Monday After I Skipped Grounding

I went away for the weekend. No mat. No grounding. Just regular life.

When I came back that Monday, I sat down to work like usual. But something felt off.

Restless. Unsettled.

And suddenly I had this strange sensation—like my body was craving the mat.

Not a thought. Not a checklist item. A pull.

It hit me: my body missed grounding.

I hadn’t realized how much it had become a part of my nervous system’s regulation. I slipped off my shoes, placed my feet on the mat, and gave myself 20 quiet minutes.

Nothing dramatic happened—but I did notice a shift. Less tension. A bit more calm. I wasn’t buzzing with thoughts the same way I had been all day. Just… more settled.

So... Does Grounding Actually Work?

If you’re looking for a dramatic testimonial, I don’t have one. Grounding didn’t erase my stress or fix my sleep overnight.

But here’s what I can say: I feel better when I ground. More settled. Less wired. More me.

Some days, I don’t notice a big difference. Other days—especially after travel or stress—it feels like plugging back into myself.

There’s growing research showing grounding may:

• Reduce inflammation

• Improve sleep quality

• Lower cortisol levels

• Regulate the nervous system

• Increase feelings of calm and connection

  
  

Even if the research didn’t exist, I’d still do it.

Even If It’s All in My Head—It’s Working

One of the most important things I’ve learned in coaching and personal healing work:

If something helps you feel better, more connected, more present—it’s working.

Even if it’s placebo. Even if the science is still catching up. Even if your family thinks you’ve lost your mind.

Your body knows what it needs. Sometimes the most powerful healing tools are the ones we can’t explain.

Want to Try Grounding?

You don’t have to move to the jungle or quit your job to connect to the earth’s energy. Two easy ways to get started:

1. Go Barefoot Outdoors Find a patch of grass, dirt, or sand. Stand, walk, or sit for 20–30 minutes with bare feet touching the ground.

   
   

2. Use a Grounding Mat If going outside isn’t practical (hello, Canadian winters), try a grounding mat. Plug it into the grounded port of a standard outlet and place your bare feet on it while you work, read, or relax.

   
   

The key isn’t perfection—it’s consistency. Just show up, and notice what your body says.

Final Thoughts

I used to laugh at grounding. Now I find myself reaching for it—not out of belief, but out of instinct.

The nervous system is subtle. Sometimes we don’t realize something is working until we stop doing it. That was the case for me with grounding.

If you feel like your body has nervous energy you can’t shake, your mind is always “on,” or you struggle to settle at night—let’s chat and see how we can get your mind and body aligned. You can book a free 30-minute session with me here: Schedule a Call.

Grounding isn’t hocus pocus—it’s a small, quiet tool that reminds your body how to reset itself. And sometimes, that’s all we really need.