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Do Himalayan Salt Lamps Actually Work for Air Purification and More?

Do Himalayan Salt Lamps Actually Work for Air Purification and More?

Himalayan pink salt has quickly risen in popularity due to its healing properties and its unique aesthetic appeal. Whether you are buying spices from the grocery store, booking a spa treatment or shopping for home decor, you will probably come across the pink-orange salt. One of the most common uses of Himalayan pink salt is in table lamps that are often recommended for their healing properties.


Is it possible that Himalayan pink salt lamps can help provide these types of benefits and to what extent? Is there scientific evidence to back up the claims? Learn more about the hype surrounding salt lamps so that you can decide for yourself whether they live up to the expectations.

 

What are Himalayan salt lamps?

Himalayan pink salt lamps are a popular home decor choice because of their soft light, pink color and unique shape. They are also commonly used in spas and yoga studios to help cultivate a calming atmosphere. Salt lamp manufacturers tote the myriad benefits of the mineral, ranging from air purification to treating asthma and depression. Consumers across the country swear by the healing benefits of these lamps as well.


Himalayan pink salt is the term used to describe rock salt that has been mined from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, near the Himalayas. The salt can be found in larger crystal chunks, such as those used for salt lamps, or in smaller pieces used in salt grinders. Some people say that these trace elements can provide a variety of health benefits, both when ingested and when used as a lamp.


How are salt lamps made?

There are two main types of salt lamps, both made from salt rocks mined in Pakistan near the Himalayas. One consists of a large chunk of pink salt crystal that has been hollowed out to make space for a light bulb. The other is a bowl made of wire, metal or even Himalayan pink salt filled with slightly smaller pink salt rocks with a light bulb placed underneath the salt crystals. When you turn the lamp on, the light shines through and between the salt crystals.

 

 

Potential benefits of salt lamps

Manufacturers claim that salt lamps can provide a variety of health benefits by releasing negatively-charged ions into the air. These negatively charged particles are said to do wonders for a person’s health by increasing blood flow, improving a person’s mood, increasing energy levels, and providing relief from the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).


Salt lamps are also said to filter the air in your home, trapping airborne pollutants in the lamp’s surface. This claim leads to the theory that salt lamps may improve breathing and sleep, as well as provide relief from allergies and asthma.


Aesthetic qualities

Potential health benefits aside, salt lamps can be an interesting, unique way to decorate your home. The calming pink light can provide an atmosphere different from most table lamps and the pink salt crystal has the potential to match a variety of decor styles. Many people prefer to use salt lamps as an evening light source, to help transition away from the bright lights of the daytime and relax before bed.

 

 

Salt lamps and indoor air quality

Himalayan pink salt lamps are thought to purify the air because of their hygroscopic properties. This means that the salt attracts and traps water molecules from the air. The theory is that any airborne pollutants, such as dust, smoke and pollen, present in the water molecules will be trapped on the surface of the salt lamp.


Light therapy

Light therapy including bright light treatment and dawn simulation has proven helpful to decrease the severity of SAD symptoms. Bright light treatment alone was found to be effective against nonseasonal depression, with benefits comparable to antidepressant pharmacotherapy studies. However, the light provided by salt lamps is not similar to the light used in the study.


The soft, calming pink light emitted by salt lamps may be more helpful in decreasing nighttime exposure to blue light, such as the light you find in your cell phone, computer or tablet. Blue light may reduce the quality of your sleep as well as your cognitive performance the morning after. At nighttime, the pink glow from a salt lamp may be better on your eyes than other types of artificial light.

 

 

Our Himalayan Salt Lamp aesthetic benefits, including the soft pink light that they create, can be enjoyed whether or not the lamp is purifying your air. Introduce a serene and calming environment into your home with one of our amazing Himalayan salt lamps! Click the button below to shop now!

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