Grounding (earthing)
Bare skin on grass, sand or soil, or a conductive mat wired to earth
Bare feet on grass, sand or soil for a while, or a conductive mat wired to the earth pin of a socket under your desk or bed. The theory holds that contact with the earth's mild negative charge neutralizes a charge the body builds up while insulated by shoes and floors. Supporters report better sleep and less jet lag. The published studies are tiny and unblinded, which even advocates concede, and the barefoot version is free, so plenty of people simply test it on themselves.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Dave AspreyDoes it
Biohacker · Bulletproof Coffee
Goes barefoot on grass for a few minutes after landing, having started out a skeptic. He admits the science is limited and rests his case on his own blinded N=1 tests, which he says consistently improve his sleep after a flight.
Source: Dave Asprey blog: How to Avoid Jet Lag: My Non-Negotiables When I Fly
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under sleep or stress.
- Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Sauna
Regular heat exposure, often 4 sessions a week at 20 minutes
On record from 17 of 62 tracked people: 11 do it, 3 recommend it, 3 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Breathwork
Structured breathing sessions to shift the nervous system up or down
On record from 7 of 62 tracked people: 4 do it, 2 recommend it, 1 has discussed it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia)
A structured sleep program; Matthew Walker and Andrew Huberman both point people to it
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 2 recommend it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR)
10-20 minute guided body-scan rest, sometimes called yoga nidra
On record from 2 of 62 tracked people: 1 does it, 1 has discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
4-7-8 breathing
Inhale for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight, repeated a few times
On record from 1 of 62 tracked people: 1 does it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
HRV biofeedback training
Paced breathing against a live heart rate variability readout, a few minutes a day
On record from 1 of 62 tracked people: 1 recommends it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.