Ashley Reid
September 30, 2025
Grounding Your Body: How Natural Fibers Enhance Well-being and Reduce Stress
Although this buzzword has recently gained traction among the new wellness Instagrammers, it’s not a new notion.
Grounding
Although this buzzword has recently gained traction among the new wellness Instagrammers, it’s not a new notion. Grounding is an instinctual practice—utilizing the Earth’s negative ions to neutralize the free radicals in our bodies. And in this high-stress world, filled with pollutants coming at us from every angle, there are more than enough free radicals to go around. At its core, grounding helps balance the body’s electrical system.
These days, there are plenty of products trying to capitalize on our desire for those grounding effects and improved well-being. But often, the most effective solutions are the simplest. Instead of reaching for the next shiny thing, sometimes we need to go back to the start. If you’re trying to ground your body, reduce stress, and improve your well-being, returning to natural fibers might be just the place to begin.
Frequencies of Fabrics
Synthetic fabrics have the potential to influence our mental, physical, and emotional well-being—often hindering our connection to the Earth. This is where the importance of natural fibers comes into play in a major way.
Beyond being more eco-friendly, durable, and comfortable, natural fibers have another lesser-known benefit: frequency.
What is “frequency” in fabrics—and why does it matter for grounding?
The idea actually dates back to biblical references but was more recently explored by Dr. Heidi Yellen in the 2000s. Using a digital device called an Ag-Environ machine, Yellen measured the vibration frequency of various fabrics in angstroms (m). According to her findings, the healthy human body vibrates between 70–100m, with individuals suffering from health conditions sometimes measuring below 50m.
Dr. Yellen hypothesized that fabrics vibrating above the body's natural range support vitality and healing, while fabrics vibrating below it may contribute to illness.
This connects directly with grounding and earthing—our body’s natural ability to exchange electrons with the Earth. Synthetic fabrics, especially when worn between the body and the ground, may act as barriers to that exchange. In contrast, natural fibers like cotton, linen, hemp, and wool/sheepskin allow for a more harmonious connection, enabling the body to ground more effectively.
Grounding Benefits
Before we dive into specifics, let’s talk a bit more about grounding—also known as earthing. When you hear someone say they “need to ground themselves,” it usually brings up thoughts of feeling centered or connected. And that’s exactly what grounding does—literally. Touching grass, going barefoot in the soil, or swimming in clean natural bodies of water creates that connection.
But grounding isn’t just about tuning into the self (although that’s a great practice on its own). It’s about deepening our relationship with the Earth.
Some of the many reported benefits of grounding include:
Grounding Indoors
While Mother Nature knows best, we can’t always be outside with our feet in the dirt. Personally, I’m a creature of comfort and am always on the lookout for ways to feel better while reducing stress. That’s where grounding indoors comes in.
Today, there are several products designed to help replicate grounding effects at home, such as grounding mats and grounding sheets. These typically work through conductive materials woven into the product and plugged into a grounded outlet.
I try to get outside, be barefoot, and connect with nature as much as I can. But I’m a busy mom—and self-care, unfortunately, often gets pushed to the back burner. What’s the saying? Meditate every day for five minutes—and if you don’t have the time, then do it for fifteen. Ahem. Anyway, in this season of life, I’m looking for convenience without sacrificing quality.
A friend of ours at East Perry mentioned on her instagram once how she used our sheepskin slippers to elevate her grounding. Stating that she’s normally outside walking barefoot in the grass. But on days where it’s pouring, she opts for a walk with her sheepskin slippers on the treadmill instead. Utilizing those high frequencies of the fabric to make it a great substitute for the days when you can’t get outside and connect with the Earth.
Quality sleep, and being grounded while sleeping is so important to me. Organic cotton sheets, or grounding sheets, a Sheepskin mattress cover, or sheepskin blanket, is all you really need to stay grounded while sleeping or napping. A sheepskin mattress topper is a meltdown champion for when your little one is dysregulated beyond all intervention. Laying a top of the sheepskin mattress topper and connecting with the higher frequency will help take some of those intense feelings down a peg or two. Creating more space for connection and reframing.
When it comes to grounding, the implications are profound. Reconnecting with the Earth's subtle electrical field can help regulate circadian rhythms, reduce inflammation, and stabilize mood. It is a way to just cut out the constant buzz of technology we are connected to in our day to day lifes, and just take a deep breath. But if synthetic materials are blocking that exchange, we may be unknowingly cutting ourselves off from one of the most accessible forms of healing.
Choosing natural fibers isn't just about comfort or aesthetics, it's a pathway back to balance, to the Earth, and to ourselves.
If you’re interested in diving deeper, I suggest reading this clinic case study on Earthing by the International Academy of Clinical Thermography.
