IT’S INSTINCTIVE. Kicking off our shoes is often the first thing we do upon arriving home, the first step toward relaxing and freeing ourselves, literally and figuratively, of the burdens of the day. Going one step further, there’s evidence to suggest that a key to good health is as simple as taking a barefoot walk in the park or stroll on the beach. There’s evidence that spending time barefoot on the ground, called earthing or grounding, has the power to heal. Scientifically, earthing is a way of discharging electricity in the body through contact with the planet’s surface electrons. Researchers say doing so produces physiological changes that result in reduced pain, better sleep and other health benefits.

The idea took root in a 19th century back-to-nature movement in Germany, when people started claiming they could not sleep properly unless they were on the ground. Perhaps it was the advance of a modern lifestyle that fed anxiety about the harm of being disconnected from nature.

Clint Ober, a founding father of the current grounding movement, and members of the Earthing Institute believe that the proliferation of rubber- and plastic-soled shoes in the 1960s exacerbated this disconnection by blocking our bodies’ access to Earth’s energy field. Previously, people had gone barefoot or worn shoes made of animal hides that evolved into leather soles that still allowed some connection with nature.

Over time, science was able to prove that everything our bodies do is controlled by internal electrical signals created by positively charged ions of elements like potassium, sodium and calcium. When working properly, they control signals that travel from the brain to every organ and cell in the body, giving us the power of perception, walking and talking.

Proof of the body electric is no further away than your cell phone. Phone makers take advantage of the body’s electrical charges to work capacitive touch screens that required the human touch to work. Doctors can also observe electrical pulses in the heart by using an electrocardiogram or ECG machine.

Disruptions or irregular electrical currents in the body can lead to illness or heart attacks, and proponents of earthing believe that tree hugging and barefoot connection to the negatively charged ground can help to balance positive electrical charges built up in our bodies, reducing stress, pain and inflammation in part by regulating the stress hormone cortisol and neutralizing free radicals that damage cells.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reported five experiments showing thyroid hormone levels, glucose levels, immune response and metabolic activity improved with grounding.

Skeptics claim research samplings have been too small to be definitive, but while waiting for more evidence, there’s no harm done by spending more time walking outdoors in the sunshine a half hour each day. Simply relaxing in nature and breathing in fresh air tends to reduce stress and improve mental health.

Some may have sanitary concerns about going barefoot outdoors, and for them, technology comes to the rescue through earthing or grounding mats that mimic the Earth’s current, and can be used at home or in the workplace.

The mats typically connect via a wire to the ground port of an electrical outlet. Mats can be placed on the floor or on a bed so the user can put their bare feet, hands or body on the mat to create a neutral electrical charge.

Here are a few sources of grounding mats and other products that bring nature’s current indoors:

Earthing.com: Offers its own Earthing brand Universal mat kit ($69), vinyl fused with carbon fibers that can be used on the ground or on a desk under your computer keyboard. It can be moved around the house at your convenience, such us around the kitchen while cooking or washing dishes. Also available are auto and chair mats ($89 each), mattress cover ($229), sleep mat kit ($189) and portable relaxation chairs ($199 large, $119 small).

Grounded.com: Offers grounding mats, grounded sleep systems, patches and wearables. The Earthing Ground Therapy patch kit ($89) includes a three-prong outlet checker, U.S. safety adapter, two cords and 90 Earthing patches that can be applied to any part of the body. Users have reported the patches have helped manage chronic pain, inflammation and led to better sleep.

Amazon.com: Carries TALC grounding sheets of 95 percent cotton and 5 percent silver fiber for better conductivity and that also acts to shield the body from electro-magnetic radiation from common household electronics, cell phone towers and cell phones. Price range is $32.98 to $79.88 depending on size and including grounding cord. TALC grounding pillowcases are $29.96 each.

Be sure to follow manufacturers’ instructions to avoid risk of electric shock.