What started as an online insult might actually be a truth worth considering. Here’s what research says about “touching grass” and how grounding yourself through nature is exactly what the brain needs.
“Go out and touch some grass” is the internet’s favorite comeback for someone who’s been a little too chronically online. It’s a funny insult, but it makes you wonder if there’s actually any benefit to, well, literally touching grass; so I scoured the internet looking for answers, and found quite a lot of truth hidden behind the jest.
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Is There A Science Behind Touching Grass?
The phrase “touch grass” has become shorthand for logging off and rejoining the real world, but science suggests that’s actually right thing to do. Not because the Earth is secretly charging your body with magical energy—that popular “grounding” claim remains controversial and lacks strong scientific backing—but because spending time in nature has measurable benefits for both your mind and body.
Researchers have spent decades studying what happens when we swap screens for green spaces. A 2025 review published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences found that contact with nature is consistently linked to lower stress, better emotional well-being, improved sleep, and healthier emotion regulation. The benefits likely come from a combination of fresh air, movement, natural light, and giving our overstimulated brains a different environment to process.
As for literally touching grass? Surprisingly, that’s been studied too. One published experiment found that participants who placed their hands on real grass for just five minutes experienced lower blood pressure and brain activity associated with relaxation, individuals reporting that they felt calmer than those who touched artificial turf.
The idea has even found its way into wellness spaces. At Longevity Labs PH in Taguig, “touching grass” is the first step of the center’s Superhuman Protocol. The sequence begins with pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, which the center describes as its “Ground” phase, designed to help the body settle before moving into oxygen therapy and red light therapy as part of a guided recovery protocol.
So, should you actually touch grass? Maybe the internet is handing out some decent advice. You don’t have to hug a tree or lie face-down in a meadow, but stepping outside, kicking off your shoes, and letting your feet—or even just your hands—meet the grass for a few minutes is enough to remind your brain there’s a world outside of your notifications and hectic schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Touch grass” is an internet phrase commonly used to tell someone who’s been spending too much time online to step outside and reconnect with the real world.
Yes. Research suggests that spending time in nature is associated with lower stress, improved emotional well-being, better sleep, and healthier emotion regulation.
One published study found that participants who touched real grass for five minutes had lower blood pressure, brain activity linked to relaxation, and reported feeling calmer compared to those who touched artificial turf.
According to research, the benefits likely come from a combination of fresh air, movement, natural light, and spending time in a natural environment.
At Longevity Labs PH in Taguig, “touching grass” refers to the first step of the Superhuman Protocol. It begins with pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, called the “Ground” phase, before moving into oxygen therapy and red light therapy as part of the guided wellness sequence.
