Most people don’t give their feet enough love. But foot health matters, and we can take care of the feet that carry us by considering going barefoot more often. According to healthline.com, some benefits of walking barefoot include:

• better control of your foot position when it strikes the ground

• improvements in balance, proprioception, and body awareness, which can help with pain relief

• better foot mechanics, which can lead to improved mechanics of the hips, knees, and core

• maintaining appropriate range of motion in your foot and ankle joints as well as adequate strength and stability within your muscles and ligaments

• relief from improperly fitting shoes, which may cause bunions, hammertoes, or other foot deformities

• stronger leg muscles, which support the lower back region

Plus, barefooting leads to grounding, the act of connecting your body to the earth, which has proven health benefits for lowering stress and anxiety. Healthline also confirms that while more research is needed on grounding, small studies have shown that connecting your bare feet to the earth (sand, grass, water, dirt) can help calm the nervous system, reduce fatigue, and lead to more energy throughout the day.