A big debate is going on over what is better, grounding sheets or grounding mats. Both are fine, and what I can share about each method is only based on my personal experience. Grounding throws, plush pads and bands each provide an experience different from sheets and mats, but your body weight is used to improve optimal conductivity, and sleeping with a band attached to you is onerous. This narrows the debate down to mats versus bedsheets. Whether you're on #TeamDurability or you're cheering for #TeamComfort, grounding is the most beneficial lifestyle choice ever, and you should tell all of your loved ones about it.
Grounding Mats - #TeamDurability
Yes, these rubber/leather pseudo mats work, are indeed extremely durable, and they are more affordable than the sheets, but I find them great for my desk or other areas, and not my bed. My sleeping experience with them was uncomfortable. If you sleep on top of it, your skin winds up sticking to it. If you attempt to avoid that by placing it under your sheet, it feels as if you're sleeping on top of a cardboard box. While the mat is an excellent choice for grounding at your desk, workplace, or various areas around the home, the overall feeling of sleeping with the mat is uncomfortable and unnatural.
Pros: affordable, durable, use in multiple locations
Cons: bed discomfort
Grounding Sheets - #TeamComfort
The soft, fitted grounding sheets are truly comfortable. Period. They are also more expensive and they may not last a preferred length of time. How long they last really depends on how well you take care of it and yourself. They can last between 1-5 years, but it all depends on your level of cleanliness and personal hygiene. I understand why earthing launched the mats. This product is a business-savvy alternative for people whose lifestyle will not permit the time needed to care for the delicate earthing bedsheets. These sheets require additional care because the silver fibers are sensitive. If you don't change your bedsheets often or don't mind sleeping on your sheets often without first showering, then the mats may be a more cost-saving method of earthing. If you are willing to clean the sheets with just liquid soap and dry only on delicate, then this comfortable product seems the more suitable option.
Pros: comfort, full-body contact with the product
Cons: price, care, durability
Summary
People who are practical and careful with spending are likely to choose the mats over the sheets. Those who are fussy sleepers, or just like the better things in life, are likely to purchase the sheets. I would also recommend purchasing a second sheet and a tester, to make sure that they are still in working condition after some time. As well, after a few washes, you can use them under your regular fitted sheet to extend its life.
This is all a matter of personal preference, but my view is that the level of sleeping discomfort with the mat is outweighed by the comfort offered with the sheets. I do not like the feel of sleeping on a cardboard box. If the average night's sleep is eight hours (ie. one-third of a day), one sleeps for one-third of one's life. If you live, say, 75 years, that's 25 years asleep, or 9,125 days. That is a lot of sleep to compromise by sleeping uncomfortably.
Whether you are seasoned in the world of earthing and grounding, or someone who is just getting started, its benefits vary from person to person. Here, Dr. Laura Koniver's insightful video sheds some light on this topic:
Whether you've chosen mats or sheets, I try my best to have a selection of great quality and most durable sheets that are out there in the market. When I first discovered grounding, I ordered a bunch of options from Amazon. Due to health concerns going on with my closest family members, I just wanted to start at that moment and Amazon was the only one that delivered the fastest. Within a week, I started grounding. It wasn't until a month later that my multimeter and earthing tester arrived when I discovered that half of the products didn't entirely work. They did not ground. The mats and sheets were conductive around the connector area, but not through the remaining surface. Yes, I ordered a few since I figured I'd return it if I didn't like it, or just give it to people I love. I also wanted to see which one arrived faster. I just couldn't wait.
Grounding Success & Community
Besides the trial of finding the most reliable supplier, I also encountered difficulty with people using faulty products. As I have found with these products, some individual buyers also found that they didn't feel much of a difference between grounding sheets and regular ones. I wondered how many of those people had the "placebo/pretend" grounding products and were turned off of earthing and grounding altogether. It is a shame, but this is a reality in this market segment. I am not going to mention products or brands by name because they could have just been faulty products. This is why I test all of the products myself and return the lesser quality ones. I originally created the website for my friends and loved ones, but quickly started receiving orders from people I didn't know.
Even with the people I know, I have found that some didn't ground as well as others, so I started doing a little more research. Dr. Laura Koniver explains it best it here:
People are all different. For my mom's best friend, who passed away earlier this year from cancer, grounding her was just too late. May she rest in peace. In fact, when I used the earthing tester on her, the green light would take a millisecond or two before it went on, as opposed to it being instant. It made me think, but she was also taking a ton of painkillers at that time, and before she passed, the grounding actually cut her intake of painkillers in half. So it did help, but just not in time.
Anyhow, I apologize for my digression, but I felt inspired to contribute to our community by sharing a personal anecdote. Like I said, washing the sheets, and keeping them working, is not a big problem for me. I own two sheets so that I can rotate them, and I have started to use them under my own fitted sheets. You can say I am #TeamComfort. What are you?
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the wonderful people out there for their guidance and information. Grounding should be available to everyone. Governments should issue a mat and sheet to every citizen. I hypothesize that health care costs would drop over the years.
Happy grounding!
With love,
Rod Alexander