Are Grounding Mats Safe? EMF, Dirty Electricity & More

The #1 Safety Question About Grounding Products

If you've researched grounding mats or grounding sheets online, you've almost certainly encountered the concern: "Can grounding products attract EMF or dirty electricity into your body?" It's the single most common safety question in the grounding community — and the most misunderstood. New to grounding? Read about grounding sheet side effects and safety before you start.

As a wellness researcher who has spent years reviewing the grounding literature, I want to address this question thoroughly and honestly. The answer requires understanding some basic electrical principles, but I'll keep it accessible. By the end of this article, you'll understand exactly what grounding products do (and don't do) electrically, and you'll be able to make an informed decision about safety.

Understanding Grounding vs. Being an Antenna

The core confusion behind most EMF safety concerns is a conflation of two different electrical concepts: grounding and acting as an antenna. These are not the same thing, and understanding the difference resolves most safety concerns.

What grounding does

Electrical grounding connects an object to the earth's electrical potential. In your home's electrical system, the ground wire provides a safe path for stray electrical current to flow into the earth rather than through your body. This is why the third prong on a plug exists — it's a safety feature.

A grounding mat or grounding sheet connects your body to this same earth ground through a cord that plugs into only the ground port of your outlet. It does not connect to the "hot" or "neutral" wires that carry electrical current. No electricity flows from the outlet to you — the grounding cord only provides a path to the earth's electrical field.

What an antenna does

An antenna is a conductor that is designed to receive or transmit electromagnetic radiation. Antennas are typically ungrounded or specifically tuned to resonate with certain frequencies. A grounded conductor is the opposite of an antenna — grounding actually dissipates electromagnetic charges rather than accumulating them.

This is why lightning rods work. A lightning rod is a grounded conductor that safely directs electromagnetic energy (lightning) into the earth. It doesn't attract more lightning — it provides a safe path for energy that would otherwise be dangerous.

Similarly, a properly grounded mat or sheet provides a path for any accumulated charge on your body to dissipate into the earth. It does not attract or amplify electromagnetic fields.

EMF and Grounding Products: What the Evidence Shows

Does grounding increase or decrease your EMF exposure?

Multiple measurements have shown that grounding actually reduces the body's voltage induced by ambient electromagnetic fields. When you are ungrounded, your body acts like a conductor floating in a sea of electromagnetic fields from wiring, appliances, and electronics. Your body accumulates an induced voltage from these fields.

When you connect to earth ground, this induced voltage drops — often dramatically. Measurements using body voltage meters consistently show that grounded individuals have lower body voltage than ungrounded individuals in the same electromagnetic environment.

This makes sense from an electrical perspective. Grounding provides a reference to earth potential, which equalizes your body's charge. Without grounding, your body's voltage fluctuates with the ambient electromagnetic environment. With grounding, it stabilizes near earth potential.

For more detail on this topic, read our in-depth article on whether grounding products emit EMF.

The body voltage test

One of the simplest ways to verify this is with a body voltage meter. Here's what the measurement typically shows:

The data consistently shows that grounding reduces body voltage rather than increasing it. A grounding mat or sheet brings your body voltage closer to what it would be if you were standing barefoot on the earth outside.

What About Dirty Electricity?

"Dirty electricity" refers to high-frequency voltage transients that travel along standard electrical wiring. These are caused by devices that convert AC to DC power (computers, LED lights, variable-speed motors) and certain types of dimmers. Some health researchers have expressed concern about dirty electricity as a potential health issue.

The concern with grounding products is: "If dirty electricity travels on the wiring, and the grounding cord connects to the wiring's ground, can dirty electricity travel through the grounding cord to the mat and into your body?"

Addressing the concern

This is a more nuanced question than the basic EMF concern, and it deserves an honest answer.

In a properly wired home, the ground wire is bonded to earth at the electrical panel. Dirty electricity is primarily a phenomenon of the hot and neutral conductors. The ground wire, by design, is not a current-carrying conductor — it only carries current in a fault condition.

However, in some older homes or homes with wiring issues, there can be voltage present on the ground wire. This is not normal, but it does happen. In these cases, a grounding product could potentially conduct a small amount of this voltage to your body.

The solution is straightforward: test your outlet. A socket tester (available for purchase separately) will confirm whether your outlet is properly wired and grounded. If the socket tester indicates a wiring fault, have an electrician fix the issue before using any grounding product.

For additional protection, some people use dirty electricity filters on the circuits near their bed. These filters reduce the high-frequency transients on the wiring, providing cleaner grounding. This is an optional precaution, not a necessity for most users.

Grounding Product Safety for Specific Populations

Pacemakers and implanted electrical devices

This is the most important safety consideration in grounding. If you have a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), or other implanted electrical device, consult your cardiologist before using any grounding product.

The concern is theoretical: since grounding changes the body's electrical environment (reducing induced voltage and potentially altering the electrical gradient across tissues), there is a possibility it could interact with sensitive implanted devices. No adverse events have been documented in the literature, but no specific studies have been conducted on grounded pacemaker patients either.

Given the stakes involved, the responsible recommendation is to get clearance from your doctor before using grounding products if you have any implanted electrical device.

Pregnancy

Grounding during pregnancy has not been specifically studied. Walking barefoot — which is natural grounding — has been practiced throughout human history, suggesting that basic earth contact is not inherently risky during pregnancy.

However, since grounding affects cortisol levels, blood viscosity, and the autonomic nervous system, pregnant women should consult their healthcare provider before starting a grounding practice. This is a general precaution rather than a response to any specific documented risk.

For a more detailed discussion, read our article on using grounding sheets while pregnant.

Blood-thinning medications

The blood viscosity research by Chevalier and colleagues showed that grounding significantly increased the zeta potential of red blood cells, reducing blood clumping and improving flow. This is a positive effect for most people, but if you take anticoagulant medications (blood thinners like warfarin, heparin, or newer anticoagulants), the combined effect could theoretically increase bleeding risk.

If you take blood-thinning medications, consult your doctor before starting grounding. Your doctor may want to monitor your INR (International Normalized Ratio) more closely when you begin grounding to ensure your blood viscosity remains in a safe range.

Thyroid medications

Some grounding users have reported needing to adjust thyroid medication dosages after starting consistent grounding. This is anecdotal and has not been studied formally, but it warrants caution. If you take thyroid medication, discuss grounding with your endocrinologist and monitor your thyroid levels during the first few months of grounding.

Children and infants

Grounding sheets are generally considered safe for children. For infants, the primary safety concern is the grounding cord — ensure it is secured and not accessible to the baby as a strangulation or choking hazard. For a more detailed discussion, read our article on earthing for babies.

Electrical Safety: The Grounding Cord

Some people worry about plugging any product into an electrical outlet near their bed. This concern is understandable but based on a misunderstanding of what the grounding cord does.

What the grounding cord is

A grounding cord has a plug with only the ground prong — the round third pin. The two flat prongs (hot and neutral) are either absent or replaced with non-conductive plastic. This means the cord physically cannot connect to the current-carrying parts of the outlet.

Can you be shocked through a grounding sheet?

Under normal conditions, no. The grounding cord connects only to the ground wire, which carries no current in a properly wired home. You cannot be shocked by the ground wire alone.

The only scenario where a shock could occur is if your home's wiring has a serious fault — such as reversed hot and ground wires. This is why testing your outlet with a socket tester before use is important. A socket tester costs very little and takes seconds to verify your outlet is safe.

If you experience any unexpected sensations, read our troubleshooting guide on why grounding products might shock you.

Can You Leave Grounding Products Plugged In All Day?

Yes. Grounding products do not draw any electrical current and do not generate heat. They are passive conductors connected only to the ground wire. Leaving them plugged in continuously is no different electrically from leaving the ground wire of any appliance plugged in. For a detailed discussion, see our article on whether it's safe to leave grounding sheets plugged in every day.

Thunderstorms and Lightning

A common question is whether it's safe to use grounding products during a thunderstorm. The concern is that lightning could travel through the ground wire and into the sheet or mat.

In a properly wired home with adequate surge protection, the risk is extremely low. Your home's grounding system is designed to handle lightning strikes safely. The electrical code requires grounding electrodes that dissipate lightning energy into the earth.

That said, some cautious users choose to unplug their grounding products during severe thunderstorms, similar to how some people unplug electronics. This is a reasonable precaution if it gives you peace of mind. For a full analysis, read our article on using grounding devices during thunderstorms.

Material Safety

The materials used in grounding products matter for both safety and effectiveness.

Stainless steel vs. silver coatings

Premium Grounding products use stainless steel fibres woven into the fabric. Stainless steel is biocompatible, hypoallergenic for most people, and maintains conductivity over time without degradation.

Some cheaper grounding products use silver coatings applied to fabric. While silver is conductive, coatings can wear off with washing, release silver particles, and lose effectiveness over time. Stainless steel woven into the fabric is a more durable and stable approach.

Skin sensitivity

Most people have no skin reaction to grounding sheets. However, if you have a known metal sensitivity (particularly to nickel, which is a component of some stainless steel alloys), you may want to test a small area of skin first. Sleeping on a natural cotton fitted sheet over the grounding sheet can provide a barrier while still allowing conductivity through the natural fibres.

How to Ensure Your Grounding Setup Is Safe

Follow these steps to verify that your grounding setup is both safe and effective.

The Bottom Line on Grounding Product Safety

Grounding mats and sheets are generally safe for healthy adults when used with properly grounded outlets. The most common safety concern — that grounding products attract EMF or dirty electricity — is based on a misunderstanding of electrical grounding. In reality, grounding reduces body voltage and helps dissipate accumulated charge.

The key safety steps are simple: test your outlet, verify your product is conducting, and consult your doctor if you have a medical condition or take medications that could interact with grounding's physiological effects.

Premium Grounding products use stainless steel fibres for durable, safe conductivity and come with a 90-day risk-free trial and 3-year warranty. If you have any safety questions specific to your situation, our customer support team is available to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are grounding mats safe to use while sleeping?

Yes. Grounding mats and sheets connect only to the ground wire of your outlet, which carries no electrical current in a properly wired home. They are passive conductors, not electrical devices. Multiple research studies have used grounding during sleep for weeks to months without reporting adverse effects in healthy participants.

Can grounding mats cause EMF exposure?

No. Grounding reduces EMF-induced body voltage rather than increasing it. Body voltage measurements consistently show that grounded individuals have lower induced voltage from ambient electromagnetic fields than ungrounded individuals. A grounded conductor dissipates charge — it does not accumulate it.

Is it safe to use grounding products if I have a pacemaker?

Consult your cardiologist before using any grounding product if you have a pacemaker or other implanted electrical device. While no adverse events have been documented, no specific studies have been conducted on this population, and the theoretical interaction warrants medical guidance.

Do I need to worry about dirty electricity with grounding sheets?

In a properly wired home, the ground wire does not carry dirty electricity. If you're concerned, test your outlet with a socket tester to verify proper wiring. Optional dirty electricity filters can be added to circuits near your bed for additional peace of mind.

Can grounding products cause skin irritation?

Most people experience no skin irritation from grounding products. If you have a known metal sensitivity, test a small area first or sleep with a natural-fibre bed sheets between your skin and the grounding sheet. Premium Grounding sheets use stainless steel, which is hypoallergenic for the vast majority of users.

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