13 Proven Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamp

When you can combine beautiful décor for your home with amazing health benefits, all in the same package, what’s not to love?

Using a Himalayan salt lamp is not only a gorgeous way to bring natural elements into any room while supplying needed light.

This incredible substance also has many healing and restorative properties that make it the perfect addition to any living space.

If you have ever wondered what a salt lamp is or why so many people have them, keep reading.

We detail the many benefits of this incredible device, including how it can improve your health and enhance your well-being.

What is a Himalayan Salt Lamp?

Himalayan salt comes from the majestic mountains that share its name.

Millions of years ago, this part of the earth’s crust lay below an ancient sea, where salt collected.

As the plates shifted and the Himalayas were raised high above the earth’s surface, this mineral-rich salt was trapped and preserved just beneath the surface on the world’s tallest mountains.

Untainted by pollutants, this salt is among the purest forms of the compound on the earth.

Since the ancient sea that created it was rich in life, Himalayan salt contains a high concentration of minerals and other nutrients that are important for the human body.

When large chunks of this salt are mined from the earth, then hollowed out, they are used to create salt lamps.

An electric light source is inserted into the base of the natural material.

A base is then usually attached to keep the lamp sturdy and stable.

When the light is illuminated, you have a beautiful lamp emitting a soothing orange glow, which also has many vital benefits.

How a Salt Lamp Works

The benefit of Himalayan salt lamps is due to their ability to release negatively charged ions into the air.

When a molecule gains or loses an electrical charge, it becomes a positive or negative ion.

Natural forces, such as moving air and water, sunlight, and radiation, can produce ionic charges.

When you are at the beach or standing near a large waterfall, you likely can tell a difference in the air.

Those are negative ions that are created by the movement of the water.

Our bodies need negative ions to counteract the many positive charges created by natural functions.

Many research studies have confirmed that when we are exposed to positive ions, it lightens your mood and relieves stress.

There are also other physical health benefits to being exposed to negative ions.

While we detail the many benefits of salt lamps later, it is important to note that negative ion therapy has been shown to help with problems such as allergies, asthma, nervousness, lack of energy, problems with immunity, stress, insomnia, depression, and difficulty concentrating.

Salt lamps work by warming the salt crystals.

They then evaporate moisture in the air and release these negatively charged ions into your home.

When you turn on a Himalayan salt lamp and heat the compounds in the crystals, they immediately begin to evaporate the excess moisture in your air.

This process leaves negatively charged ions in the space.

Airborne contaminants, such as pollen, pet dander, mold, dust, and other allergens are all positively charged.

These ions become attracted to the negative ions created by your lamp, neutralizing them both and causing them to drop harmlessly to the floor.

The range of a salt lamp is somewhat limited.

Therefore, you would need to use a different device in each room of your home to get the maximum benefit.

However, they can be effective for purifying the air in a room, improving concentration and helping you feel more at ease.

Benefits of a Himalayan Salt Lamp

There are many benefits to using a Himalayan salt lamp regularly in your home.

In addition to enhancing the look of your room and adding natural elements to your home’s décor, a salt lamp can also improve your physical and mental health.

Purifies the Air

Because the negative ions released by the salt lamp attract positive ions attached to airborne debris, your salt lamp will cause there to be fewer pollutants floating around in the air of your home.

These contaminants become bonded to the negative particles, and they drop to the floor, where they can no longer cause respiratory problems or result in an allergic reaction.

Salt lamps also work to neutralize odors in the air, allowing you to breathe easier.  An illuminated salt lamp can help to reduce symptoms of allergies, asthma and other respiratory disorders.

Improves Respiratory Function

Negative ions can improve the function of the cilia in your lungs and airways that filter the air you breathe.

Not only do salt lamps work by filtering out contaminants and allergens from the air that exacerbate asthma and allergy symptoms, but they can also directly influence how well your own body filters out pollutants.

Salt lamps are so effective, that many people with chronic allergies or breathing problems report improvement in their respiratory issues when using a salt lamp regularly.

Enhances Your Mood

One of the main advantages of negative ion therapy is that it boosts your mood.

Negative ions are known to enhance the production of serotonin in the brain, which is a hormone responsible for feelings of positivity.

Those who have certain types of depression, especially seasonal affective disorder (SAD), often feel better when using a salt lamp or other form of negative ion therapy.

Himalayan salt lamps can boost your mood naturally, while also helping you to breathe easier.

Treats a Common Cold

If you use a salt lamp regularly, it can help you to remove possible airborne pathogens from your home.

This keeps you safer from germs.

If you have a cold or other respiratory infection, the negative ions released by the salt lamp can also help your body work more effectively to treat your illness and get better soon.

Salt therapy has been shown to reduce cold symptoms and help treat common types of infections.

Improves Your Sleep

By increasing the negative ions in the surrounding air, Himalayan salt lamps can also produce a relaxing effect that allows you to sleep more soundly.

When you are exposed to too many positive ions, it can disrupt your sleeping habits and reduce the supply of oxygen to your brain.

A salt lamp reverses these effects, by helping you feel more relaxed, and ready for sleep.

A salt lamp’s soothing light is also better for your eyes at night, so they make excellent night lights in the bedroom.

Reduces Stress and Promote Relaxation

The ambient light that is created when Himalayan salt crystals are lit from within, helps to reduce stress.

As a form of chromotherapy, which is also called color therapy, salt lamps can reduce stress, treat attention deficit disorder and promote general relaxation.

This form of therapy helps with emotional and mental well-being.

Balances Electromagnetic Radiation

Our homes and offices are becoming increasingly filled with electromagnetic frequencies or EMFs.

The sources for this electromagnetic radiation range include all the various electronics we use today, including cell phones, computers, televisions, and tablets.

EMFs are positively charged ions that, in large doses or over longer periods, can lead to increased levels of stress, fatigue and problems with your immune system.

Our bodies receive exposure to more EMFs than ever before, and the presence of this constant electromagnetic energy has been called “electro-smog.”

The negative ions that are released by Himalayan salt lamps are an excellent way to neutralize all this positively charged energy.

It can help to reduce the artificial frequencies to which your body is exposed over time.

Enhances Circulation

When exposed to negative ions, such as those emitted by a Himalayan salt lamp, your body responds with increased blood flow.

If you have a vascular disorder, heart disease or other circulatory problem, a salt lamp could improve how you feel.

Improves Your Energy Levels

Positive ions deplete your body of vital energy.

This is why you feel so much better when exposed to negative ions.

These negatively charged atoms help you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

You can achieve these effects when you use a Himalayan salt lamp regularly.

Boosts Concentration and Performance

Since negative ions can help to increase blood flow and promote energy levels, they can enhance your ability to concentrate.

By boosting your focus, you can improve your performance on cognitive tasks.

Treats Skin Disorders

Several skin diseases are made worse by allergic reactions or stress.

Eczema, for example, can be exacerbated by higher levels of pollen in the air.

Keeping airborne allergens in check not only helps with breathing but also keeps your skin clear and calm.

Since negative ion therapy reduces stress, it is also an effective treatment for those skin disorders that tend to flare up when you are under stress.

Reduces Static in the Air

Static electricity in the air is a result of excess positively charged particles.

A Himalayan salt lamp neutralizes those particles, leading to less build-up of static in your home.

Improves the Look of Your Home

Himalayan salt lamps offer a variety of health benefits for your body.

They are also pleasing to look at and bring an element of the natural world indoors.

The light they cast is exceptionally pleasing to the eye, especially at night.

They supply a warm, welcoming glow that can be used without interfering with sleep cycles or causing eye strain.

When you surround yourself with beautiful things, you are also more likely to feel peaceful and relaxed.

Using attractive pieces in your home is an excellent way to use your home décor to stimulate the positive centers of your brain and make you happy.

What to Know When Buying a Salt Lamp

There are several types of salt lamps to choose from.

Therefore, how do you know which is best for you?

You should select a lamp that matches your personal aesthetic and is pleasing to the eye.

There are many available styles, including whole, hollowed-out rock with a light source embedded or clusters of salt crystals with a light source underneath.

When selecting your lamp, there are three things to keep in mind.

The first is that you want to avoid lamps with a dimmer switch.

These types of switches emit EMFs.

Therefore, it negates the purpose of the light, if the one you chose already emits positive ions.

Second, be sure that your lamp is made from pure Himalayan salt, not a fake salt product.

True Himalayan salt that is reasonably priced will be pink, orange or yellow in color.

Only very expensive salt from this area is white since it is rarer.

Look for crystals that are labeled as being mined in Kewra, Pakistan, which is the source of nearly all Himalayan salt.

Wooden bases on some salt lamps tend to deteriorate over time, due to the mineral content of the salt.

Look for lamps with metal or glass bases for a longer-lasting product.

You want a light that looks good and that you will enjoy using, so take your time in finding the right fit for your home.

Conclusion

Himalayan salt lamps offer an alternative therapy for many different disorders and conditions.

As an air purifier, salt lamps can help treat asthma, allergies and other breathing problems.

They are also excellent for general air purification, which includes removing odors.

The negative ions that are released by salt lamps help to enhance mood, improve concentration, promote relaxation and reduced stress and improve the quality of your sleep.

A quality salt lamp will be made from salt mined in Pakistan or along the Himalayas.

It should be made of materials that will last.

Choose a lamp that looks good and that you will enjoy seeing regularly in your home.