Himalayan salt lamps are way more than just a trendy piece of interior décor. While Himalayan salt lamps provide soothing ambient lighting for optimal relaxation, before they became mainstream within Westernized cultures this past year, people across the globe have been using Himalayan salt for its powerful detoxifying benefits for hundreds of years. Add a modernized twist into the mix – a bulb and a base, and relishing the incredible health benefits of Himalayan salt has never looked so good.
What are Himalayan Salt Lamps?
Himalayan salt lamps are made with large pieces of high quality crystallized ancient sea salt, also known as Himalayan salt crystals. They come from the Punjab region of Pakistan. The salt contains 84 beneficial minerals and trace elements, and is considered to be one of the purest salts available. But don’t be mistaken in thinking the only way to enjoy the benefits is to sprinkle it onto your food – in the case of Himalayan salt lamps, you just need to plug them in.
Detoxifying Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps
Himalayan salt lamps are hygroscopic, meaning they attract water molecules from the air. And since airborne water molecules are apt at binding with pollutants and allergens, the hygroscopic effect, in turn, helps remove toxic particles from the air.
Upon absorbing water molecules, particles are left behind on the salt lamp. Additionally, Himalayan salt lamps generate negative ions by means of using the light element to warm the rock to the point in which the water molecules that were just absorbed are evaporated back into the air (leaving behind any pollutants).
*Side note: This is why it’s important to give your salt lamp a wipedown with a damp cloth every so often.
If we take a flashback to high school science class, we will quickly remember that the air contains both positive and negative ions. Negative ions often come from nature and are created by Mother Earth’s powerful gifts of sunlight, waterfalls, lightning storms and ocean tides. These ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain, which obviously comes with an abundance of advantages to your health – physical, mental and emotional. Negative ions also prevent acidification of the blood and optimize permeability of the cell prototype plasma membranes, thereby helping improve immunity and metabolism.
Detoxify Germs in the Air for Protection Against Illnesses
As mentioned, Himalayan salt lamps emit negative ions into the air, which provide extra protection against airborne germs like the common cold and flu, as well as allergens that can prompt a sore throat and sneeze attacks. In essence, salt lamps decrease your need to detoxify your body as you’re breathing in purified oxygen; they’re like Brita filters but for the air.
Detoxify Elements That Disrupt Your Lung Capacity
It isn’t just the common cold and flu you can protect yourself from by having Himalayan salt lamps in your home. Salt lamps help detoxify the air and body of elements that have a negative impact on your lung capacity. This makes them particularly important for people suffering from respiratory ailments, such as bronchitis or asthma, as the salt’s negatively charged ions reduce inflammation in the lungs. This is the idea behind speleotherapy (prolonged exposure inside salt caves) and the use of salt pipes.
However, this benefit does not require any diagnosis. As long as you want to boost your breathing capabilities, a Himalayan salt lamp can do that. Many professional athletes and runners even use salt lamps to relieve symptoms that disrupt lung capacity.
Detoxify Your Body of Toxins That Disrupt Your Health
The benefits of salt lamps aren’t solely emitted into the air, as you can harness their detoxifying elements by touching them as well. Himalayan salt contains an abundance of antifungal and antibacterial properties, as well as over 80 minerals.
When absorbed into the body through direct contact, whether from a bath or a lamp, the salt helps your body release toxins that can be hindering your health. This is precisely why there are salt lamps designed in various shapes that make it easy to place different body parts on them, such as a foot salt lamp. These can be used to detoxify specific areas of their body that aren’t functioning properly or that are producing uncomfortable symptoms, such as those caused by arthritis.
Detoxify Your Home of Dust, Pollen and Stinky Smells
Himalayan salt lamps can detoxify your home of the things that are highly undesirable, such as pollen, dust, dander and even cigarette smoke. As mentioned, this benefit comes from the negative ions that get heated and released into the air, where they, in turn, bond to and neutralize positive.
Detoxify Electromagnetic Frequency Pollution
Treat your family to the benefits of a tech timeout without actually having to shut down all of your electronic devices. The detoxifying benefits of negative ions that are emitted into the air via salt lamps also have the ability to reduce the EMF pollution that each and every one of us is regularly exposed to in this digital age. As there are various reports linking EMF to cancer, increased cortisol production and decreased melatonin production – resulting in higher stress levels, lower immunity and disruptions to one’s natural circadian rhythm – curbing EMF exposure should be top priority.
In addition to these five amazing detoxification benefits of Himalayan salt lamps, enough cannot be said of their ability to create soothing, ambient lighting. Just keep in mind that not every salt lamp is made equally.
Wellness company, So Well, provides an exceptional selection of handmade salt lamps with dimmer lighting controls, including raw-shaped lamps, and authentic white and grey salt lamps. One of the first US companies to offer salt lamps in the States from their Chicago-based Fair Trade Store, So Well is dedicated to Fair Trade principles and has earned a reputation for making some of the most beautiful and durable salt lamps available today.
As you can see in the photo above, I love my grey Himalayan salt lamp from So Well! I keep it on the nightstand next to my bed.
Disclaimer:
Salt therapy is designated as Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM), and as such, has not been subjected to the same degree of rigorous scientific research often undertaken for new drugs and medical procedures. Salt therapy is deemed a safe practice, however, with multiple published studies cited in PubMed. See below for research references:
