Grounding: Walking barefoot is the key to getting over jet lag, wellbeing expert claims

It's so simple but is backed up by science

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Jet lag can leave you feeling confused, exhausted and grouchy - it’s not much fun for anyone involved.

And there are many myths of how best to get over it. Some suggest going for a run, others taking a cold shower.

But now a wellness expert has revealed what he believes to be the ultimate cure for jet lag - and it’s remarkably simple.

The secret? Walking barefoot on the ground, ideally in mud, sand or earth.

It’s known as “grounding” or “earthing” yourself, and Dave Asprey, a self-proclaimed ‘biohacker’ who founded the health food diet Bulletproof, believes it’s the secret to resetting your body clock after flying.

Asprey claims that long haul flights disrupt the electrical charge in our body’s water cells, and it’s that that causes us to feel jet lagged.

“When you go up in an aeroplane, you build up a static charge in your body that slows the mitochondrial function,” he says in his book Head Strong.

“In other words, the battery in your body doesn’t hold a charge as well because you were disconnected from the earth.”

Reconnecting with the earth - or a £30 grounding mat if you can’t find any patches of earth - can reduce the feeling of jet lag by allowing you to soak up the earth’s negative charge.

It may sound strange, but many high profile individuals have revealed themselves to be advocates of grounding too.

Naomi Campbell, for one, shared an Instagram post explaining how she always reconnects with the earth after a flight.

Various studies have been conducted into grounding too, concluding that it can help improve sleep, strengthen your immune response and normalise stress hormones.

So next time you touch down, simply whip off your shoes, find some bare earth and you could be back to normal in no time. Best wait till you’ve left the airport though.