Himalayan salt lamps are a great addition to any home or work environment and for good reason. They not only look good, they offer many health benefits that you can enjoy without fuss.
As a result, Himalayan salt lamps are becoming more popular as people realize these benefits. They are distinctive in appearance being orange-pink in color, often with a non-uniform shape and a modest glow.
The minute they are turned on, they provide illumination in the room. And then the magic starts to happen as you begin to feel better mentally and physically.
If this all sounds too good to be true, I totally understand. I did at first too, but there are lots of good reasons to love these lamps.
Let’s take a closer look. But first, why are they so special?
Why Are Himalayan Salt Lamps Special?
These types of lamps are made from (very big) chunks of Himalayan Salt. They are usually solid pieces – which is preferable – but there are some that are simply coated with the salt.
You really need one of the solid salt lamps for it to be effective. These are usually cut to have space in the middle where a small light bulb and electric cord is placed.
So when buying a lamp, make sure it is made from real and solid Himalayan Crystal salt. Many imitation lamps are made from rock salt, and you don’t want one of those.
Himalayan salt on its own is a type of pink salt that comes in large crystal form. Another way to use the salt is to place it in bowls around your house. This should be in addition to using a lamp, not instead of it.
Because while the salt is important, it is the light in the lamp that really makes it beneficial to your health.
How Himalayan Salt Lamps Work
At all times, there are positive and negative ions in the air. Himalayan salt lamps naturally generate negative ions when used with a heat source, such as a light bulb.
So what does that mean for you?
Negative ions can help cleanse the air and make you feel better overall. In fact, this is why you might feel better when it’s raining, you’re near a waterfall, you feel sunlight, or are at the beach.
These are all natural sources of negative ions. That’s why you feel refreshed in these environments.
In contrast, positive ions can make you feel worse and even trigger your allergies. These are often from vacuum cleaners, electronics, and electric appliances.
To feel good, there needs to be enough negative ions to balance out the positive ions in the air.
And this is where the magic of the salt lamp happens. The warmth of the light bulb helps the salt create more negative ions in the air. As this happens it helps you feel better, more refreshed, and stay allergy-free.
Now we know how and why they work, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of a Himalayan salt lamp.
Clean Air To Breathe
One of the best health benefits to having a Himalayan salt lamp in your home is that it can help to clean the air. This is especially important if you suffer from allergies or asthma. But anyone will enjoy the clean air it produces.
When turned on all the time, the salt lamp will help to cleanse the air of cigarette smoke, dander, dust, pollen, and other pollutants. These things can stick to the air, and sometimes when inhaled will make you feel ill.
The salt in the salt lamp also helps to absorb moisture in the air, where a lot of these contaminants are contained. They get trapped inside the salt which cleanses them away and are not released back into the air.
Don’t be surprised if the room where you have the Himalayan salt lamp is also a little less humid. This can happen from the same natural process.
Improve Your Breathing
As the air gets cleaned by the Himalayan salt lamp, it is going to help improve your breathing. Even if you don’t have asthma or allergy problems, you might be suffering from the pollutants in the air without realizing it.
You know how sometimes when you are outdoors, you suddenly feel like you want to take a big, deep breath of fresh air. Now you can do this in your home. You will get that similar feeling of lungs filled with fresh, clean air.
Reduce Allergy Symptoms
If you suffer from allergies, this is where a Himalayan salt lamp really shines.
With all those indoor air pollutants removed, you will be breathing in clean air. At the same time, your allergy symptoms will reduce significantly, maybe even all together. No more coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and burning eyes.
It doesn’t matter what the cause of your allergies are – pet dander, mold, mildew, dust mites, or other pollutants – the lamp will make you feel better.
If you can only have the lamp in one room of your home, the bedroom is best. This helps reduce your allergies when you are sleeping and the windows closed.
Increase Energy Levels
Himalayan salt lamps can also make you feel as if you have more energy. Just like all the natural energy you get outdoors when at the beach, camping, or hiking.
The fresh air makes you feel better. This in turn invigorates and wakes up your system giving you a lot more energy.
A salt lamp prevents you from being drained by the positive ions in the environment. Although you can’t see them, positive ions are all around you. They come from the many appliances and electronic equipment that are a part of modern life.
This can reduce fatigue and insomnia, and help you be more motivated during the day to get things done. Keep in mind it can take about a week or so of having the lamp on before you notice a real difference.
Reduce Stress
First of all, if you are struggling with a high amount of stress, you definitely want a salt lamp in your home!
Too many positive ions in your home and not enough negative ones is a contributor to stress. Particularly if you are constantly around the television, computer and others sources of positive ions.
If this is the case for you and stress is a problem, try getting a salt lamp. Be patient and wait about a week before you notice a difference.
Relieve Anxiety
Suffering from anxiety in any form can be miserable. The panic attacks tend to come out of nowhere and you often don’t know what is triggering your anxiety.
What if it is actually from the air quality or too many positive ions? This is very possible, as many things in your environment can contribute to your anxiety. It doesn’t hurt to give the Himalayan salt lamp a try at making you feel better.
Depression From SAD Isn’t as Severe
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) often occurs in the winter when there isn’t a lot of sunlight. This is not just because of the sunshine and vitamin D, but because of the lack of negative ions.
Most of us need sunlight to feel happy, and many people start experiencing severe depression during winter. This is a great time to turn on your Himalayan salt lamp.
In Closing
The benefits of a Himalayan salt lamp are wonderful, and I’m sure you’ll love having one of these in your home.
But don’t stop there! While one is good is a good start, it is helpful to have as many as you can.
A good idea is to have one for every major room in your home. Or at the very least try to have one in your bedrooms, and one in the living room.
Once your home is covered, the office or work environment is another place to use them. Often this is where you will get the most exposure to positive ions, so try and get some clean air while working too.
