Negative Ions - Gotta Love 'Em

As I write this I am awash in Negative Ions and lovin' it!

The rain is coming down giving our California soil and plants some much needed moisture along with negative ions. Negative ions are invisible molecules that we inhale in abundance when we are in certain environments. This would be a rainy day like today, a walk in the mountains or a trip to the beach.

Who doesn't love going to the mountains for a hike or a camping trip? A friend of mine, that I have known for about 30 years, decided that we would go camping in the local mountains. Just us girls! It was a bit of work but well worth the negative ions that we were bathed in as we hiked on the trails, and comforted us at night as we slept on the ground under the stars. Hmmmm.... time for another hike in the mountains!

If you need to ease depression or anxiety, go camping. Go to the Beach. Go outside and hug a tree. The easiest thing to do on a daily basis no matter where you live, is to go lay on the ground for a minimum of 15 minutes. Even if you live in an apartment you can find a small patch of green grass to lay on somewhere..

My first husband (now deceased) and I lived a block away from a hill that we would occasionally hike. This one day the temperature was perfect and we laid down on the mulch covered ground and fell asleep. Awwww...the calming of negative ions. We didn't mean to fall asleep, we just did.

Then suddenly we were startled awake when we heard someone yelling. We sat up and the man said "Oh good! You are alive. You had me worried."

Research tells us once negative ions reach our bloodstream, they are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced by our nerve cells. It is found mostly in the digestive system, although it’s also in blood platelets and throughout the central nervous system. It is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan must enter our body through our diet and is commonly found in foods such as nuts, cheese, and red meat. Tryptophan deficiency can lead to lower serotonin levels. This can result in mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression.

Negative ions are created in nature as air molecules break apart due to sunlight and moving air and water. Think of the last time you hiked near a waterfall! You are being bathed in negative ions and we feel peacefully energized. You will also notice the power of negative ions when you walk on the beach.

The air circulating in the mountains and the beach is said to contain tens of thousands of negative ions The action of the pounding surf or immediately after spring thunderstorms create these negative ion natural mood enhancers. Have you noticed in these situations your mood is lighter? You feel calmer? Happier?

"Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy," says Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.

"They also may protect against germs in the air, resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have a throat irritation."

And for a whopping one in three of us who are sensitive to their effects, negative ions can make us feel like we are walking on air. You are one of them if you feel instantly refreshed the moment you open a window and breathe in fresh, humid air."

I'm one of them. I feel a shift in my mind and body when awash in negative ions. So this lovely rain we are getting today (it's been awhile since we've had this much rain here) is bringing a peaceful energy to my mind and body.

When we don't have rain, or I can't go the beach, the next best thing is to go outside and lay on the ground. I position myself where my head is in the shade and will expose my arms, legs and sometimes my belly to the warm sun.

Recently I decided to ground on our stone patio. I was surprised at how comfortable I was. For some reason it didn't feel too "hard" to lay on. As usual I dozed off for a few minutes and got up refreshed and did not have any back pain from laying on the stones.

I always get up feeling recharged and my grounding buddy is always near-by.