When a young child is learning to walk, parents are told to let this process happen naturally and without shoes. This is because shoes can affect the way a child uses the muscles and bones in their feet, as the brain receives feedback from the ground when they walk barefoot, which improves their proprioception (awareness of their body in space) . But, as we get older, the healthy habit of going barefoot is lost and life and social conventions push us to wear shoes for everything, and walking barefoot becomes something we only do at home (secretly from our grandmothers, who scold us if they see us do it). Thus, little by little we lose the benefits that are obtained with this healthy practice. Do you want to know what they are? In this article we will tell you why going barefoot is good for your health.
The 10 reasons why going barefoot is good for your health
Decreases anxiety and stress
Going outside, in general, can help regulate emotions and balance the nervous system. However, letting the body come into contact with the ground directly reduces anxiety and stress even more. That is because the Earth carries a negative charge with it. And we have a positive charge due to all the electromagnetic waves that we come in contact with on a daily basis, spending time connecting with the Earth is vital for your emotional and physical health.
Help you sleep better
A study published in PubMed revealed that going barefoot is good for your health because it influences the physiological processes that induce relaxation . People in the study who had been walking barefoot were shown to have better night's sleep compared to those who did not walk barefoot on a regular basis. Reconnecting with the earth through our feet – as at the dawn of humanity – is believed to stabilize circadian rhythms.
Circadian rhythms, or the body's 'biological clock' needs to be continually calibrated by the pulse of the Earth which governs the rhythms of all life on the planet. Environmental pollution, including lights, chemicals, and other factors, greatly affects our sleep patterns, so coming into contact with negatively charged electrons from the Earth can help immensely to regulate our body's circadian rhythm and other biological processes.
Rise the levels of energy
This may seem like a no-brainer by now, but it's still worth mentioning. Every time you immerse yourself in the natural world, you capture the higher frequencies emitted by nature and increase your own energy levels. Exposure to modern society can affect your vitality, but if you spend a few minutes a day relaxing and walking barefoot in nature (the beach if you have it nearby, a park, the garden of your house …), you will notice how they reset body and mind and you will feel more rested .
Strengthens the immune system
In this comprehensive report published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health , researchers found that walking barefoot can actually lower your white blood cell count and increase your red blood cell count . This result indicates a positive immune response.
Reduces the risk of heart disease
The increase in the surface charge of the red blood cells mentioned in the previous point causes the reduction of agglutination in the cells, which therefore reduces the thickness of the blood and prevents the formation of clots . Since high viscosity has been directly linked as a risk factor in heart disease, it can be said that going barefoot is good for health because it significantly reduces the risk of heart disease.
Relieves muscle tension and headaches
A pilot study found that regular barefoot walking can prevent muscle aches after physical exercise, and this certainly applies to other situations that cause muscle tension, such as working at a desk all day. On the other hand, tension headaches can also be relieved.
Reduces menstrual pain
Because going barefoot reduces pain in general, it should come as no surprise that walking barefoot can also relieve menstrual cramps. In a sense, all the pain we feel within the body begins in the mind and manifests as stress, which can greatly impact menstrual cramps. Going outside and letting your bare feet caress the Earth does wonders for the body, mind and soul . Try taking a barefoot walk in the garden during your period, and you will see how you feel better afterwards.
References
- Chevalier, G., Sinatra, ST, Oschman, JL, Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons. Journal of Environmental and Public Health , 2012 , 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291541
- Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2011). Earthing the Human Body Influences Physiologic Processes. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine , 17 (4), 301-308. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2010.0687
- Brown, D., Chevalier, G., & Hill, M. (2010). Pilot Study on the Effect of Grounding on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine , 16 (3), 265-273. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2009.0399
