Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Sleeping properly?

[Nook]

I have recently finished reading Lights out and I have to say, it's well worth the read even if I don't agree with everything stated in it. Like the claim they make that we as humans need carbs. And they stick to this, even though they also talk about Ketones and the benefits of a high-fat diet and how that relates to sleep...

For the past week, I've been trying to get at least 9 and a half hours of sleep during nighttime. I've had to sleep in total darkness for years but once the sun gets up, it still comes shining through.
I can definitely feel the difference, my immune system got stronger, my mind is ever so clearer, etc, osit.

One thing I'm trying to figure out is how to get my body to produce Melatonin/seratonin again on its own as I've made the mistake of supplementing myself with 5-HTP for about a year almost every day and my body got used to it. That seems to be the case anyway, during this one-week period, the one night I didn't take 5-HTP, I couldn't fall asleep for 3 hours. I got up then, took 5-HTP and read a few pages until I felt it's working and I was ready to fall asleep...

 

[Str!ke]

Regarding Earthing or Grounding, theres some concerns or warnings about it. Though I still dont quite grasp whether even the possible warnings, should it still be done?

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/23/dr-nicholas-gonzalez-on-alternative-cancer-treatments.aspx

(Interview Transcript)
[...]
Dr. Gonzalez: Well, Stephen Sinatra is one of the core proponents of earthing, and he‘s
a professional friend. I never claimed he‘s a close personal friend – he‘s a professional
friend. I know the story of his son and all that. The smartest man in terms of EMF (I‘m
going to go out on the limb here; Clint Ober, I respect what he and his group are doing)
is David Stetzer.

Dr. Mercola: He‘s out there in Canada, isn‘t he?

Dr. Gonzalez: In Wisconsin. David Stetzer has a website, http: //www.stetzer.com. He
said there are problems with the earthing system. One problem is, Clint Ober developed
a lot of this in Europe, where they have different electrical systems from what we have
here. In the US, a lot of corporations, companies, and governments… they know they
have to ground things – the reason that we have grounded outlets is if we didn‘t,
computers would explode. They‘re all grounding it into the ground, and they Ober made
the mistake of assuming that the earth is this infinite reservoir of endless electricity that
we keep dumping into the ground. He said that that‘s wrong – sometimes, depending on
your soil, you can actually plug that like the earthing cord and you‘ll get electricity coming back at you from the ground. I found that in my own apartment. It actually
happened when I experimented with the stuff . As much as I respect the group that did
that -- they were correct about EMF pollution, and it almost killed Steve Sinatra‘s son --
in my own apartment, even though it‘s properly grounded and it‘s been test-grounded
through experimentation, it‘s actually feeding electricity to the unit. New York City has
so much electricity ground from all buildings that are dumping their electricity right into
the ground. And it‘s like a hotwire of electricity. And Stetzer was the first guy to point this
out.

I have a patient in Texas that uses the earthing thing, and she‘s doing great. She had
arthritis, but the pain was better. I told him where she lives, and he said, ―That‘s a sandy
area, and electricity isn‘t going to be transmitted through it.‖ In a place like New York
City where it‘s granite and the rock is filled with cat ions and anions are going to
transmit electroenergy very quickly, he said there are nine million people dumping their
electrical use right into that granite, and it‘s going to come right back to the Earth. The
first time I slept on that thing, I went through the roof, and I felt like I plugged my finger
into an outlet.

Dr. Mercola: How do you determine if you‘re in an area that‘s congested and there‘s a
lot dumping?

Dr. Gonzalez: Stetzer said that the way the US electrical system is set up, there‘s going
to be a lot of problem, but some places like Texas are going to be safe because of
sandy soil. Electricity is transmitted very nicely through water that has minerals in it –
any natural groundwater is going to have minerals. A place like New York that has
groundwater and is surrounded by water and has granite with ions is going to transmit
very nicely. I will call Stetzer – he‘s a great guy. You can get his phone number on the
Web and you can speak to him. I know a lot of people, and nobody knows more about
EMF electricity than Stetzer. This guy knows everything about this stuff. That‘s
something you might want to look into.
[...]

 

[mcb]

I have recently finished reading Lights out and I have to say, it's well worth the read even if I don't agree with everything stated in it. Like the claim they make that we as humans need carbs. And they stick to this, even though they also talk about Ketones and the benefits of a high-fat diet and how that relates to sleep...

For the past week, I've been trying to get at least 9 and a half hours of sleep during nighttime. I've had to sleep in total darkness for years but once the sun gets up, it still comes shining through.
I can definitely feel the difference, my immune system got stronger, my mind is ever so clearer, etc, osit.

One thing I'm trying to figure out is how to get my body to produce Melatonin/seratonin again on its own as I've made the mistake of supplementing myself with 5-HTP for about a year almost every day and my body got used to it. That seems to be the case anyway, during this one-week period, the one night I didn't take 5-HTP, I couldn't fall asleep for 3 hours. I got up then, took 5-HTP and read a few pages until I felt it's working and I was ready to fall asleep...

I would say that all of the books recommended here contain pieces of information that most of us wouldn't recommend. You need to have some background when reading, and of course the forum can help with that. Lights Out is a decent paleo-type book, but dated -- the copyright is 2000. For example, legumes are on many paleo "don't eat" lists now, due to the anti-nutrient content if nothing else. If you soak and cook them enough, and you aren't hypersensitive to the toxins then you might do OK, but a lot of people would rather not bother with foods like that. And then there is the recommendation to include tofu in your diet (no comment!).

You really do need carbs to survive. It's not a question of whether you need them but where you get them. Your liver makes them if you consume less than you need. If your liver has a problem and can't make them and you cut out all dietary carbs, you will be in big trouble. Fortunately, most people don't have that problem.

It appears that the more you depend on your liver to make carbs, the more ketones it tends to produce as well, although these are separate processes. You can have a ketogenic diet by limiting carb intake to less than demand, but that won't necessarily give you the higher ketone levels we are seeking. Fewer carbs generally means more ketones, but for some people it may mean more internal complications as well, particularly with the GI tract. I would say that that part is an ongoing experiment here.

 

[LQB]

Regarding Earthing or Grounding, theres some concerns or warnings about it. Though I still dont quite grasp whether even the possible warnings, should it still be done?

You should never use the house ground for numerous reasons including faulty ground, faulty wiring, and induced currents from local EM radiation. If you decide to try this it should involve a separate ground rod placed well away from any transformers. It should also be in an area away from industrial uses of electricity - preferably a rural environment.

I have talked to a reseller of these "health grounding systems" that passed on concerns to the manufacturer about providing warnings - they did nothing.

 

[dugdeep]

Regarding Earthing or Grounding, theres some concerns or warnings about it. Though I still dont quite grasp whether even the possible warnings, should it still be done?

You should never use the house ground for numerous reasons including faulty ground, faulty wiring, and induced currents from local EM radiation. If you decide to try this it should involve a separate ground rod placed well away from any transformers. It should also be in an area away from industrial uses of electricity - preferably a rural environment.

I have talked to a reseller of these "health grounding systems" that passed on concerns to the manufacturer about providing warnings - they did nothing.

Well, that's the first I've heard of that. I've been sleeping on an earthing sheet for the last month or so and it's plugged into the house ground. I tested the outlet first and it is grounded, but I suppose that's not going to detect induced currents and the like. I have definitely been sleeping better, but that's just subjective. Plugging into a grounding rod placed into the soil is not an option for me since I'm in a 3rd floor apartment in an urban environment. I'm going to stick with this for the time being, but thanks for the info.

 

[Nook]

I would say that all of the books recommended here contain pieces of information that most of us wouldn't recommend. You need to have some background when reading, and of course the forum can help with that. Lights Out is a decent paleo-type book, but dated -- the copyright is 2000. For example, legumes are on many paleo "don't eat" lists now, due to the anti-nutrient content if nothing else. If you soak and cook them enough, and you aren't hypersensitive to the toxins then you might do OK, but a lot of people would rather not bother with foods like that. And then there is the recommendation to include tofu in your diet (no comment!).

You really do need carbs to survive. It's not a question of whether you need them but where you get them. Your liver makes them if you consume less than you need. If your liver has a problem and can't make them and you cut out all dietary carbs, you will be in big trouble. Fortunately, most people don't have that problem.

It appears that the more you depend on your liver to make carbs, the more ketones it tends to produce as well, although these are separate processes. You can have a ketogenic diet by limiting carb intake to less than demand, but that won't necessarily give you the higher ketone levels we are seeking. Fewer carbs generally means more ketones, but for some people it may mean more internal complications as well, particularly with the GI tract. I would say that that part is an ongoing experiment here.

Perhaps my post was a little confusing, I'm sorry about that. I agree with what you wrote in the first paragraph. Just thought I'd point out what I cannot agree with in this particular book.

As far as the carbs go, I'm still not convinced that our bodies need them. I will need to do more digging.
This is from my experience and current level of knowledge on the subject and as you have said, our bodies can produce carbs if we need them - osit for most of us with adequate functioning of our liver, etc - and convert protein into carbs, if I remember correctly. This imo, would mean that we do not need them and our bodies could just convert the protein ingested into carbs if need be.

I am aware that our muscles need a certain amount of carbs but the conversion should also take care of that, at least that's my thinking. Please correct me if wrong. I may have just taken the 'no carbs' to an extreme but I definitely feel much better when I don't have any.

 

[LQB]

Regarding Earthing or Grounding, theres some concerns or warnings about it. Though I still dont quite grasp whether even the possible warnings, should it still be done?

You should never use the house ground for numerous reasons including faulty ground, faulty wiring, and induced currents from local EM radiation. If you decide to try this it should involve a separate ground rod placed well away from any transformers. It should also be in an area away from industrial uses of electricity - preferably a rural environment.

I have talked to a reseller of these "health grounding systems" that passed on concerns to the manufacturer about providing warnings - they did nothing.

Well, that's the first I've heard of that. I've been sleeping on an earthing sheet for the last month or so and it's plugged into the house ground. I tested the outlet first and it is grounded, but I suppose that's not going to detect induced currents and the like. I have definitely been sleeping better, but that's just subjective. Plugging into a grounding rod placed into the soil is not an option for me since I'm in a 3rd floor apartment in an urban environment. I'm going to stick with this for the time being, but thanks for the info.

You are taking risks when you do this dugdeep. For example, let's say your connection to ground on the external side of the panel box (usually a ground rod) begins to develop even a few ohms of resistance (due to eroded connection or dry earth). In this case some current that should go to ground gets returned the the home ground wiring. These are called ground loops. They can expose you and the ground sheet to current/electrons and build up charge. This defeats the purpose of giving your body a clean path to ground.

If there is a wiring error that you are not aware of, it can also be a shock hazard that may be triggered only when certain circuits are energized.

If your ground wiring (including hot/neutral) is not shielded in metal conduit throughout the building, then ambient RF radiation will induce voltage/current in the ground circuit, again defeating the purpose of the ground sheet.

This is why I recommend that if you want to try this, you should drive a separate ground for the sheet, use shielded cable, and run the cable such that there is nothing resembling a loop. The studies I have seen (that suggest benefit) took great care to use a separate shielded ground. The manufacturers point to these studies for marketing, and yet give no warning about the integrity of the grounding.

If you want to continue, you should, at the very least, check your ground connections at the exit side of the panel box and clean them. I would also throw a few cups of salt water on the ground around the ground rod.

 

[mcb]

...
As far as the carbs go, I'm still not convinced that our bodies need them. I will need to do more digging.
This is from my experience and current level of knowledge on the subject and as you have said, our bodies can produce carbs if we need them - osit for most of us with adequate functioning of our liver, etc - and convert protein into carbs, if I remember correctly. This imo, would mean that we do not need them and our bodies could just convert the protein ingested into carbs if need be.

I am aware that our muscles need a certain amount of carbs but the conversion should also take care of that, at least that's my thinking. Please correct me if wrong. I may have just taken the 'no carbs' to an extreme but I definitely feel much better when I don't have any.

You could have a problem with plant foods, or it could be something else. You definitely cannot live without carbs. They can be dietary, de novo, or both but you have to have them.

There is a question of efficiency of synthesis, and of loss of micronutrients that might be available from eating plant foods. Most people's livers can produce enough glucose to meet needs, but the liver has to work fairly hard to do it. Because of this extra work, eating some carbs could improve efficiency but it might also reduce ketone production. Ruminant mammals produce all of their carbs in their livers because the bacteria in their stomachs scavenge all of the dietary carbs, but they have larger livers than we do.

The human body trades off between size/weight/agility and dietary flexibility. We are technically omnivores but there are some things we are not equipped to digest, in part because we have reduced-size digestive tracts and livers. (Richard Wrangham's Catching Fire offers a view of how we evolved to preferentially eat cooked foods, and what we were able to shed from our anatomy as a result.)

As long as a person's liver is up to the task, I haven't encountered any reason to believe that carb intake is necessary. Whether there are long term issues (10, 20, ... years out) is unknown, and whether a diet of modern day meats alone with no carbs can be nutritionally complete or not is unknown as well, especially since our knowledge of micronutrients is limited. What we do know indicates a need for organ meats and sunlight, and possibly a few supplements.

There may also be value in eating a certain amount of plant foods that supply indigestible (for us, directly) nutrients that bacteria can ferment into fat and other useful things. These foods can have low "net" carbs in which case they are not likely to negatively affect a ketogenic diet. That idea can be tested, and I am thinking about trying it if I can get my gut to settle down enough to do so.

The main takeaway we have had from Lights Out is the need to sleep in the dark and adjust activities with the seasons (depending on where you live). In that regard the book was ahead of its time, and many more people recognize this need today.

 

[dugdeep]

Regarding Earthing or Grounding, theres some concerns or warnings about it. Though I still dont quite grasp whether even the possible warnings, should it still be done?

You should never use the house ground for numerous reasons including faulty ground, faulty wiring, and induced currents from local EM radiation. If you decide to try this it should involve a separate ground rod placed well away from any transformers. It should also be in an area away from industrial uses of electricity - preferably a rural environment.

I have talked to a reseller of these "health grounding systems" that passed on concerns to the manufacturer about providing warnings - they did nothing.

Well, that's the first I've heard of that. I've been sleeping on an earthing sheet for the last month or so and it's plugged into the house ground. I tested the outlet first and it is grounded, but I suppose that's not going to detect induced currents and the like. I have definitely been sleeping better, but that's just subjective. Plugging into a grounding rod placed into the soil is not an option for me since I'm in a 3rd floor apartment in an urban environment. I'm going to stick with this for the time being, but thanks for the info.

You are taking risks when you do this dugdeep. For example, let's say your connection to ground on the external side of the panel box (usually a ground rod) begins to develop even a few ohms of resistance (due to eroded connection or dry earth). In this case some current that should go to ground gets returned the the home ground wiring. These are called ground loops. They can expose you and the ground sheet to current/electrons and build up charge. This defeats the purpose of giving your body a clean path to ground.

If there is a wiring error that you are not aware of, it can also be a shock hazard that may be triggered only when certain circuits are energized.

If your ground wiring (including hot/neutral) is not shielded in metal conduit throughout the building, then ambient RF radiation will induce voltage/current in the ground circuit, again defeating the purpose of the ground sheet.

This is why I recommend that if you want to try this, you should drive a separate ground for the sheet, use shielded cable, and run the cable such that there is nothing resembling a loop. The studies I have seen (that suggest benefit) took great care to use a separate shielded ground. The manufacturers point to these studies for marketing, and yet give no warning about the integrity of the grounding.

If you want to continue, you should, at the very least, check your ground connections at the exit side of the panel box and clean them. I would also throw a few cups of salt water on the ground around the ground rod.

Considering the fact that I'm in a rented apartment with no access to panel boxes or ground rods, is there any way of testing the ground circuit to see if any of this detrimental stuff is going on? I feel like it would be a real shame to just stop using this stuff when it seems to be having benefit.

 

[LQB]

Regarding Earthing or Grounding, theres some concerns or warnings about it. Though I still dont quite grasp whether even the possible warnings, should it still be done?

You should never use the house ground for numerous reasons including faulty ground, faulty wiring, and induced currents from local EM radiation. If you decide to try this it should involve a separate ground rod placed well away from any transformers. It should also be in an area away from industrial uses of electricity - preferably a rural environment.

I have talked to a reseller of these "health grounding systems" that passed on concerns to the manufacturer about providing warnings - they did nothing.

Well, that's the first I've heard of that. I've been sleeping on an earthing sheet for the last month or so and it's plugged into the house ground. I tested the outlet first and it is grounded, but I suppose that's not going to detect induced currents and the like. I have definitely been sleeping better, but that's just subjective. Plugging into a grounding rod placed into the soil is not an option for me since I'm in a 3rd floor apartment in an urban environment. I'm going to stick with this for the time being, but thanks for the info.

You are taking risks when you do this dugdeep. For example, let's say your connection to ground on the external side of the panel box (usually a ground rod) begins to develop even a few ohms of resistance (due to eroded connection or dry earth). In this case some current that should go to ground gets returned the the home ground wiring. These are called ground loops. They can expose you and the ground sheet to current/electrons and build up charge. This defeats the purpose of giving your body a clean path to ground.

If there is a wiring error that you are not aware of, it can also be a shock hazard that may be triggered only when certain circuits are energized.

If your ground wiring (including hot/neutral) is not shielded in metal conduit throughout the building, then ambient RF radiation will induce voltage/current in the ground circuit, again defeating the purpose of the ground sheet.

This is why I recommend that if you want to try this, you should drive a separate ground for the sheet, use shielded cable, and run the cable such that there is nothing resembling a loop. The studies I have seen (that suggest benefit) took great care to use a separate shielded ground. The manufacturers point to these studies for marketing, and yet give no warning about the integrity of the grounding.

If you want to continue, you should, at the very least, check your ground connections at the exit side of the panel box and clean them. I would also throw a few cups of salt water on the ground around the ground rod.

Considering the fact that I'm in a rented apartment with no access to panel boxes or ground rods, is there any way of testing the ground circuit to see if any of this detrimental stuff is going on? I feel like it would be a real shame to just stop using this stuff when it seems to be having benefit.

One thing you could do is to measure the current on the ground wire associated with the circuit you are using to connect the sheet. To do this you need to find a place where this wire is exposed enough to get a sensitive clamp meter around it - usually this is done at the panel box. There should be a panel box somewhere that isolates that circuit and you should be able to get access to it. If you make this measurement you will know what the ground loop current is on that circuit (zero is ideal - both AC and DC).

The problem is that this ground loop current can change with time of day and the load in your apt or building. But it would be good to have even a one-time measurement of what this current is. If you have a sensitive high frequency meter (high pass filter), then you can measure the induced current due to ambient RF (the meters for this get very expensive and typically, a spectrum analyzer is used). An electrician or EMF consultant who is experienced in troubleshooting domestic wiring issues should be able to do these things. I don't recommend anyone do this unless they have experience poking around in the panel box.

Like you, I began experimenting with the grounding sheet using the house ground. After a few nights, I could not identify any effects - good or bad. But after thinking about all the things I couldn't control, I ended the experiment. The studies that used a separate ground rod did so for good reason.

I'm not telling you to stop the experiment - just be aware of some of the risks.

 

[dugdeep]

Regarding Earthing or Grounding, theres some concerns or warnings about it. Though I still dont quite grasp whether even the possible warnings, should it still be done?

You should never use the house ground for numerous reasons including faulty ground, faulty wiring, and induced currents from local EM radiation. If you decide to try this it should involve a separate ground rod placed well away from any transformers. It should also be in an area away from industrial uses of electricity - preferably a rural environment.

I have talked to a reseller of these "health grounding systems" that passed on concerns to the manufacturer about providing warnings - they did nothing.

Well, that's the first I've heard of that. I've been sleeping on an earthing sheet for the last month or so and it's plugged into the house ground. I tested the outlet first and it is grounded, but I suppose that's not going to detect induced currents and the like. I have definitely been sleeping better, but that's just subjective. Plugging into a grounding rod placed into the soil is not an option for me since I'm in a 3rd floor apartment in an urban environment. I'm going to stick with this for the time being, but thanks for the info.

You are taking risks when you do this dugdeep. For example, let's say your connection to ground on the external side of the panel box (usually a ground rod) begins to develop even a few ohms of resistance (due to eroded connection or dry earth). In this case some current that should go to ground gets returned the the home ground wiring. These are called ground loops. They can expose you and the ground sheet to current/electrons and build up charge. This defeats the purpose of giving your body a clean path to ground.

If there is a wiring error that you are not aware of, it can also be a shock hazard that may be triggered only when certain circuits are energized.

If your ground wiring (including hot/neutral) is not shielded in metal conduit throughout the building, then ambient RF radiation will induce voltage/current in the ground circuit, again defeating the purpose of the ground sheet.

This is why I recommend that if you want to try this, you should drive a separate ground for the sheet, use shielded cable, and run the cable such that there is nothing resembling a loop. The studies I have seen (that suggest benefit) took great care to use a separate shielded ground. The manufacturers point to these studies for marketing, and yet give no warning about the integrity of the grounding.

If you want to continue, you should, at the very least, check your ground connections at the exit side of the panel box and clean them. I would also throw a few cups of salt water on the ground around the ground rod.

Considering the fact that I'm in a rented apartment with no access to panel boxes or ground rods, is there any way of testing the ground circuit to see if any of this detrimental stuff is going on? I feel like it would be a real shame to just stop using this stuff when it seems to be having benefit.

One thing you could do is to measure the current on the ground wire associated with the circuit you are using to connect the sheet. To do this you need to find a place where this wire is exposed enough to get a sensitive clamp meter around it - usually this is done at the panel box. There should be a panel box somewhere that isolates that circuit and you should be able to get access to it. If you make this measurement you will know what the ground loop current is on that circuit (zero is ideal - both AC and DC).

The problem is that this ground loop current can change with time of day and the load in your apt or building. But it would be good to have even a one-time measurement of what this current is. If you have a sensitive high frequency meter (high pass filter), then you can measure the induced current due to ambient RF (the meters for this get very expensive and typically, a spectrum analyzer is used). An electrician or EMF consultant who is experienced in troubleshooting domestic wiring issues should be able to do these things. I don't recommend anyone do this unless they have experience poking around in the panel box.

Like you, I began experimenting with the grounding sheet using the house ground. After a few nights, I could not identify any effects - good or bad. But after thinking about all the things I couldn't control, I ended the experiment. The studies that used a separate ground rod did so for good reason.

I'm not telling you to stop the experiment - just be aware of some of the risks.

Thanks LQB, I appreciate the input on this. I think I'm going to continue the experiment for now since I do think the grounding sheet is having a beneficial effect. I seem to be sleeping better. When I wake in the middle of the night, I fall asleep again right away, whereas I used to stay awake, sometimes for hours, before falling back asleep. I feel like I'm waking more rested, too. Your warnings are certainly something to keep in mind, though. I can't see me getting any kind of EMF consultant, but I also don't think I'll be in this apartment forever, so I'll look for alternatives (like use of a grounding rod) if and when I move.

 

[LQB]

Thanks LQB, I appreciate the input on this. I think I'm going to continue the experiment for now since I do think the grounding sheet is having a beneficial effect. I seem to be sleeping better. When I wake in the middle of the night, I fall asleep again right away, whereas I used to stay awake, sometimes for hours, before falling back asleep. I feel like I'm waking more rested, too. Your warnings are certainly something to keep in mind, though. I can't see me getting any kind of EMF consultant, but I also don't think I'll be in this apartment forever, so I'll look for alternatives (like use of a grounding rod) if and when I move.

Sounds good dugdeep - keep posting the results and any changes.

 

[shijing]

I also ordered a starter kit a couple of weeks ago and have started experimenting with it. I don't have anything very detailed to report at this point, but so far I haven't run into any problems that I'm aware of -- one of the reasons I wanted to try it was to experiment with sleep, since the authors of the Earthing book argue that it's supposed to help regulate cortisol function.

I also appreciate the information about potential dangers or side-effects; the two main kinds of critiques I've been able to find so far are the following (emphasis in the original):

http://www.electricsense.com/1861/using-earthing-to-combat-electromagnetic-pollution-my-review/

Is it Safe To Earth Anywhere?

Earthing in an environment where there are potentially high levels of EMFs is to be avoided.

If you are using an earthing sheet in your bedroom you can try and measure with your EMF meter to ensure that via earthing you are not exposing yourself to high electric fields. But this is a delicate exercise which requires obtaining what the Institute of Building Biology calls a potential-free electric field measurement. For a more complete explanation of this issue click here.

Unless you are absolutely sure about that your electric field exposures have been reduced when you earth I recommend switching off the mains circuits to and around your bedroom. And even then, you are wise to check the EMF readings with your EMF meter. If you are looking for an easier way to switching off your circuits, an electricity demand switch can do this in an automated manner (should only be installed by a qualified electrician).

In your office, for instance, better to earth your equipment than earthing yourself using an earth mat. Because in earthing yourself in a high EMF environment you may well be exposing yourself to significant electric fields.

http://www.emfwise.com/earthing-mat-dangers.php

Are Earthing Mats Really Safe?

Earthing mats that plug into electrical outlets may increase the risk of exposure to voltages and intermediate frequencies, which may be induced on the grounding cable. A body voltage meter and AM radio can be used to test for voltage and intermediate frequency noise.

While there may be some benefits to grounding, it may be wise to avoid grounding oneself in high voltage environments where one may become a transit for the grounding path. A better idea may be to unplug or ground the electrical appliances that contribute to high voltages and turn off unnecessary circuit breakers. It may be helpful also to ground electronics to avoid damaging our biological systems that respond to EMF.

At this point I can say tentatively that I've had good results, but I need to experiment and observe longer before I would strongly recommend it. The research papers on the Earthing Institute website explain how and why it's supposed to work, and they address some of the concerns above in their electricity FAQs sheet. At the same time, I think it's smart to look into any and all potential pitfalls and take as many variables into account as possible.

 

[LQB]

I also ordered a starter kit a couple of weeks ago and have started experimenting with it. I don't have anything very detailed to report at this point, but so far I haven't run into any problems that I'm aware of -- one of the reasons I wanted to try it was to experiment with sleep, since the authors of the Earthing book argue that it's supposed to help regulate cortisol function.

Are Earthing Mats Really Safe?

Earthing mats that plug into electrical outlets may increase the risk of exposure to voltages and intermediate frequencies, which may be induced on the grounding cable. A body voltage meter and AM radio can be used to test for voltage and intermediate frequency noise.

While there may be some benefits to grounding, it may be wise to avoid grounding oneself in high voltage environments where one may become a transit for the grounding path. A better idea may be to unplug or ground the electrical appliances that contribute to high voltages and turn off unnecessary circuit breakers. It may be helpful also to ground electronics to avoid damaging our biological systems that respond to EMF.

If you have ground loop current in the circuit you are using for the ground sheet, think about it this way. That current is continually searching for a path to ground. If you tie into that ground with a conducting sheet with high resistance to ground (the rest of the room), some current will still flow charging the capacitor formed by the sheet and all other metal objects nearby (including bed frame and any metal springs). This sets up an electric field between the sheet and the potential path to ground represented by all metal objects (particularly heavy ones) in the vicinity. You are lying on one plate of this capacitor.

If your hot wires in the walls or floor are not in shielded conduit (you can verify this with a cheap electric field meter), then an electric field (capacitor) is also set up between these wires (110/220V) and the metal objects including the ground sheet - and current does flow due to ions in the air. [BTW, this suggests that the best placement of the ground sheet in the bedroom is as far away as possible from wall outlets and wherever hot wires run in the walls or floor/ceiling - this will minimize the strength of the E field (volts/meter)]

For pure 50/60 Hz voltage/current, it is likely that none of this is a health issue since these low frequencies manifest on the surface skin of the body and are not absorbed (see the EMF Exposure thread). But frequencies greater than about 2KHz penetrate and are absorbed by the body, and the evidence points to this high frequency noise as a contributing cause of cancer, leukemia, aggravated diabetes and a host of other EMF-sensitive symptoms (in cases of chronic long-term exposure). So, even if this noise is not present on the ground wire (unlikely), you increase your exposure to it through the capacitive electric field. [BTW, this issue exists even for the user of an isolated separate ground rod.]

You can minimize this particular threat by measuring this high frequency noise level and take steps to lower it. [The method mentioned in Shijing's post above is to simply shut the breaker in the panel box for the bedroom circuit you intend to use. This will work as long as there are no other active circuits running through the walls and floor/ceiling - and it will not stop ground loop current.] The best way is to use a GS meter (https://www.stetzerelectric.com/store/stetzerizer-microsurge-meter/ - see also the EMF Exposure thread) to directly measure the noise at any wall socket. Then use either GS filters (https://www.stetzerelectric.com/store/stetzerizer-filter/) or Greenwave filters (http://www.greenwavefilters.com/stetzerizer-gs-filters/?gclid=CKqLz4HKzLQCFcKPPAodiXwAng) to reduce the noise and verify by direct measurement. You can easily get an order of magnitude (I've seen nearly 2 orders) reduction in this noise. The nice thing about the GW filters is that they also filter the ground circuit (GS does not), and filter up to 500MHz (GS filters to about 200KHz). [By doing this you also reduce your exposure to electric/magnetic AC high frequency fields throughout the house - and if you move, you just unplug them and take them away.]

A DC current component can also be induced in the ground circuit depending on its deployed geometry and orientation to components of the earth's magnetic field. I haven't seen this addressed/analyzed anywhere - either pro or con. The geometry of the wires can also act as antennas picking up primarily AM/SW signals in the environment if they are not shielded (a GW filter should eliminate this).

Sorry for all the detail but so many "researchers" proclaim warnings (and fixes - seemingly quoting each other) with no explanation of the physics behind them.

So there may be a subjective improvement in sleep patterns with short term use of the grounding sheet but this does not mean that it is free of negative consequences due to long term use. The safest approach (imo) is to use it sporadically to correct what can be corrected by dumping charge, but avoid habitual long term use - and better yet - know and fix your home EMF environment. FWIW

 

[dugdeep]

You can minimize this particular threat by measuring this high frequency noise level and take steps to lower it. [The method mentioned in Shijing's post above is to simply shut the breaker in the panel box for the bedroom circuit you intend to use. This will work as long as there are no other active circuits running through the walls and floor/ceiling - and it will not stop ground loop current.] The best way is to use a GS meter (https://www.stetzerelectric.com/store/stetzerizer-microsurge-meter/ - see also the EMF Exposure thread) to directly measure the noise at any wall socket. Then use either GS filters (https://www.stetzerelectric.com/store/stetzerizer-filter/) or Greenwave filters (http://www.greenwavefilters.com/stetzerizer-gs-filters/?gclid=CKqLz4HKzLQCFcKPPAodiXwAng) to reduce the noise and verify by direct measurement. You can easily get an order of magnitude (I've seen nearly 2 orders) reduction in this noise. The nice thing about the GW filters is that they also filter the ground circuit (GS does not), and filter up to 500MHz (GS filters to about 200KHz). [By doing this you also reduce your exposure to electric/magnetic AC high frequency fields throughout the house - and if you move, you just unplug them and take them away.]

Well that's good news! I've had 2 stetzer GS filters plugged into outlets in my house for a few months now. I was going to ask if they would help to minimize potentially harmful effects from the grounding hardware. Given what you've said here, LQB, I think I may get a couple more filters for the apartment.