8. Reduce stress and increase performance
In a study on people completing a 40-minute task on the computer, exposure to negative air ions reduced stress and anxiety and improved performance.
Task performance was slightly but significantly improved by the presence of negative air ions. These results suggest that negative air ions are effective for the reduction of and the prompt recovery from stress caused by computer operation. (Source: Effect of negative air ions on computer operation.)
The problem with proving the health benefits of Himalayan salt lamps
The trouble is, it’s very difficult to know how many negative ions are given off by your Himalayan salt lamp, unless you take it into a lab for testing.
There are many variables – trace elements within the salt, the thickness of the walls, use of a candle or light bulb as the source of heat, etc.
They are certainly less potent than the electronic negative ion generators used in scientific studies, but they also look a lot more appealing on your coffee table.
Negative ions aren’t the only benefit attributed to Himalayan salt lamps though.
The truth about the origin of ´Himalayan´ pink rock salt
First of all: there are no salt mines in the Himalayas. Pink rock salt is usually mined from Pakistan or Poland. “Himalayan” is just a descriptor, because a “Punjabi Foothills salt lamp” doesn’t sound quite so exotic.
That’s not evidence against the efficiency of the lamps, of course, but watch out for vendors who claim that their lamps are worth twice as much as their rivals because they are made from better-quality salt. It’s all the same salt which Pakistani grandmothers use for cooking.
It also puts the jubilant story of miners working 1500 meters (4921 feet) deep underground, beneath the Himalayan foothills being happy because of this magical pink rock salt in another perspective.
Negative ions
What exactly are negative ions?
The big claim made for salt lamps is that they release negative ions into the air, which improve health and mood.
Let’s take a quick look at the science behind this.
*All matter is made of molecules. Each molecule has a positvely-charged nucleus, circled by negatively-charged electrons like moons orbiting a planet.
*When a molecule has enough negative electrons to exactly balance the positive charge from its nucleus, it is stable.
*A positive ion is a molecule which as lost an electron, leaving a ‘gap’ in its outer layer of electrons; a negative ion has an extra electron.
*The positive ion wants to bond with something to fill the gap, and a negative ion wants to bond with something to get rid of its spare electron.
*Positive ions are known as free radicals. There are clear and documented links between free radicals and health problems such as cancer. ().
The theory is that negative ions will bond with the positive ions in the atmosphere, neutralizing them before they can affect the molecules in your body.
Negative ions have been shown to inhibit bacterial growth and slow the development of cancer cells, although so far this effect has only been demonstrated in a test tube.
*In nature, negative ions are produced by moving water and released by plants during photosynthesis.
*Positive ions are produced by certain weather conditions and by home electronic goods – that’s why the air feels ‘charged’ just before a storm, and why you sometimes feel a crackling sensation if you touch a switched-off TV screen.
Fresh country air usually has 2000-40000 neg ions per cubic centimeter, with a slightly lower number of positive ions. (In nature, positive and negative are usually roughly balanced unless there are unusual circumstances such as a thunderstorm). City air has a lower proportion of negative ions.
The mind-blowing effects of negative ions
There is a well-documented link between ill health and changes to atmospheric ionization. Around the world, there are seasonal winds which are hot, dry, and laden with positive ions – some examples are the Santa Ana (California), Foehn (central Europe), and Siroccoco (Italy).
*In the 1950s and 60s, a rash of studies proved an association between these winds rich in positive ions and an increase in morbidity.
*In some Swiss cantons, the unsettling effect of the Foehn wind was accepted in court as a mitigating circumstances for a crime.
*Roughly a third of the population is very sensitive to negative-ion depletion in the atmosphere.
*According to WebMD, negative ions are thought to protect against germs in the air, thus reducing irritation due to inhaling various airborne particles that make you cough, sneeze, and sore throat.
*Exposure to negative ions is proven to improve mood in those who suffer from seasonal depression (SAD). A 1995 study by Columbia University showed that 30 minutes a day of exposure to a concentrated source of negative ions led to a dramatic reduction in the severity of depressive symptoms, with no side-effects observed.
*Other studies have indicated negative ions may improve blood flow and prevent damage to lungs.
*Nasa employs negative ion generators to help astronauts recover after missions in space.
So, there’s fairly good evidence that positive ions are bad for the health and negative ions are beneficial.
Science-backed health benefits or not,
4 reasons to get a pink salt lamp anyway
Even though Himalayan pink salt lamp health benefits aren’t fully supported by modern science, there are indications these lamps may enhance your well-being.
The healing effects of negative ions have been well-studied. Claims for Himalayan salt lamps are unproven, but are based on plausible science. Salt in the air really does help breathing problems, and negative ions really are linked to better moods.
The jury’s out on whether the lamps are powerful enough to actually deliver these benefits, though lots of people swear they feel noticeably better since they started using the lamps
Reasons to buy a Himalayan pink salt lamp
1. What if they work?
Why not try one out next time you’re looking for a side light? They’re not yet proven effective, but they have legions of devotees, and are affordable enough that you can try one without major investment. Just that modern, Western science hasn’t proven its merits yet doesn’t have to mean you can’t benefit from these gadgets.
You wouldn’t be the only one who swears it improves their quality of life. Perhaps it may even be the placebo effect. But then again, the placebo effect works, and that’s all that matters right?
We do surround ourselves with electronics from the moment we wake up till the minute we go to sleep. The positively charged ions these devices emit do not aid our health, that’s a fact. If only a 20 bucks lamp can help a little bit in reducing this environmental stress, it will be a welcome addition to the household.
2. They look awesome
These eye-pleasing decorative lamps are conversation starters. If anything, these lamps are a symbol for natural living. For going back to archaic values, for a life lived in touch with nature and our core existence.
They suit any decor, cast a flattering pink light, and cost no more than any other table light. They’re certainly more attractive than a negative ion generator, and free from side-effects.
If your Himalayan salt lamp helps your breathing or improves your mood, that’s fantastic; if you experience no benefits, then you’ve still got a stylish lamp for on your coffee table.
3. They are ideal for late evening use
The less blue colored artificial light you are exposed to the hours before bedtime the better you sleep. Amber colored lamps which simulates sunset light waves and doesn’t interfere with your circadian rhythm help prevent sleeping problems.
Turn off your, with sleep interfering, normal colored lamps and switch on your amber colored HPS lamp to be gradually guided into sound slumber. And this is a proven benefit.
4. We thrive on looking at beautiful things
There’s also the science-backed benefit of looking to pretty things. Looking at eye-pleasing things soothes us. The sight of an attractive item can trigger the part of the motor cerebellum that governs hand movement, brain scan studies show. In other words, we instinctively reach out for attractive things; beauty literally moves us.
Although many of the health claims don’t hold up, I’m going to order one for my RV. A LED usb-powered led himalayan salt lamp obviously. But not because I expect it to boost my health. More because I like how it looks and if it does happen to have a beneficial effect, well that’s just a bonus.
tl;dr: if you like how they look, get one and if you’re lucky your new Himalayan salt lamp may boost your health too.
Get your Himalayan pink salt lamp here.
What do you think of HPS lamps?
Would love to hear your experiences or opinion.
Or get a Fair Trade Himalayan pink salt lamp
here.
These ethically-sourced, artisan-made lamps by SoWell come in rare mineral colors such as white and grey too.
A Review: My Personal Experiences With A Himalayan Pink Salt Lamp
First I need to clarify this.
I’m not someone who is really in touch with their feelings like some people are. Some people can feel their own chi flowing through their body. They can feel grounded or not. I’m just not so tuned in like that. Sometimes I only notice I’m thirsty after I get a headache.
So I don’t really experience a direct positive physical vibe from my lamp.
Still I can’t do without it.
For one because my sinusitis complaints have vanished. After drinking a few red wines they flare up but before, the symptoms were present all the time. They are not anymore and this relief occurred when I started using my HPS lamp on a daily basis. Now this doesn’t prove anything because other factors may have changed too.
But there’s more..
Like I said, I’m not sure if the negative ions these lamps emit actually influence our health in a positive way. What I do know is that first thing I do when dusk falls is turning on my lamp. I has to be on, no other light suffices.
And I’m a sucker for lighting. I own various smart LED lights, an artificial dawn simulator, multi color LED strips, special bulbs which are all great to adjust the hue to a certain time of the day (orange hugging bed time), blue-ish when it’s hot weather, another hue during movie time.) but still, none of these lights emits the soothing glow my HPS lamp does.
It feels like a miniature fireplace and just like with actual fires, I like to stare into my lamp too. I think in some subconscious way it reminds of archaic times, when people lived in caves, the crude stone walls lit by the soothing, life-saving fire. The rocky exterior of the lamp ushers nature into my home. Okay, enough with the ‘new agey’ marketing tales, although I really mean it, this lamp mesmerizes me.
Now regarding my sinuses being open again, I would need to conduct a double blind control experiment to find out more. Or at least I could turn off my lamp for a while and see if my symptoms re-appear.
But you probably guessed it, that’s not going to happen, my lamp will stay on.
References:
*The New England Journal of Medicine, nejm.org.
*Science and Education Publishing, There’s Something in the Air: Empirical Evidence for the Effects of Negative Air Ions (NAI) on Psychophysiological State and Performance, pubs.sciepub.com
*Thayer, R.E. (1989). Biopsychology of Mood and Arousal. New York: Oxford University Press
Indoor air quality, EPA.
*Diamond, M. (1988) Enriching Heredity: The Impact of the Environment on the Anatomy of the Brain. New York: Free Press.
*Yepsen, R.B., Jr. (1987) How to Boost Your Brain Power: Achieving Peak Intelligence, Memory and Creativity. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale.
*Negative ions create positive vibes, WebMD.