I have been curious about Himalayan Salt Lamps for a long time.
A few months ago, I saw that a vendor in our Alabang Saturday Market had some Salt Lamps for sale, and it piqued my interest. So I decided to research a little bit about what the benefits are BEFORE I decided to purchase one.
A Himalayan Salt Lamp is a solid block of salt that has been hand carved to house a light bulb. These lamps come from deep underground mines in Khewra, Pakistan, which is located on the western edge of the Himalayan Mountains. This is the only source of true Himalayan pink salt.
Ok. So what are the benefits?
1. It purifies the air.
It is a natural air purifier that easily attracts water vapor. As the lamp warms up, it traps the pollutants but releases the water vapor and the trapped pollutants like dust, smoke, etc. will remain locked in the salt. It helps eases asthma and allergy symptoms.
Wellness Mama explains it like this: “Small amounts of water vapor is present in the air and can carry things like mold, bacteria, and allergens. Salt lamps attract this water vapor and the things it carries to its surface and removes them from the air.”
Truth: I usually wake up every morning with my sinuses full and irritated from allergies. Nino jokes me that in the morning, when I blow my nose, I sound the same way that my dad blows his nose when he’s having allergies as well. In short, I sound much like the geese that I grew up around in the Hudson Valley when they are protesting or protecting their territory.
Since we have been sleeping with the salt lamp, I noticed that I wake up feeling less congested. I don’t sound like a goose blowing my nose, and my headaches are far less frequent.
2. It is a mood booster, and helps you sleep easier.
The pinkish to orange calming color of the Himalayan Salt Lamp and the negative ions that it produces helps reduce anxiety and a relaxing atmosphere.
This is one reason why we use it at night as a night light. There is this study that shows the light from the tablets, laptops, and phone screens gives off a blue-ish light which affects the hormones that affect sleep patterns. It’s something I noticed even before having a salt lamp on my bedside table. I can sleep better when the phone is charging in the bathroom, (far away from the bed).
The light from the salt lamp is relaxing, kind of like a candle or the fireplace crackling. So, this relaxing color does not affect how we sleep negatively. Nino, just had to get used to the fact that we weren’t in complete darkness all the time. It is for this same reason that it is a mood booster as well.
3. It reduces electromagnetic frequencies.
It is also believed that it can reduce the electromagnetic pollution that comes from our mobile phones, computers, televisions, microwaves etc. which can cause cancer, impair immunity, and contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and heart disease. These positive ions that the EMF’s give off can affect us even deeper by:
- an increased sense of nervousness
- resulting in body stress
- affecting lapses in concentration
- and increasing the free radicals in your body
So besides making sure that the router is far from your bedroom, and the cell phones are charging in another room, we can counteract the amount of EMF’s we are subjected to by using a salt lamp as well.
There are always two sides to every story. (Actually three in some cases, right?)
So, after I researched and found all these benefits, I also found some articles saying that its a bunch of bologna. (I’m singing the Oscar Meyer Bologna song right now. If you grew up in the 80’s you’re singing it now too.) These articles all state that it’s like the Jedi Mind Trick, or that many times it’s mind over matter.
What I can say is this: The first few nights I had this little salt lamp lit, I felt like I was well rested. And usually, at this time of year, I wake up with my sinuses full because the damp weather gives me allergies like nobody’s business. So far, so good.
Is it scientific? Maybe. But seeing how I was able to score this lamp for a great price from The Smart Parenting Convention last month, it’s a win win already for me. I’m sleeping better. It’s a nightlight. I don’t hit the coffee table when I stand up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. And Nino’s not complaining about it.
So, as long as it’s working out well, I would definitely attest to how I have been feeling better…
Here are some of the articles that you can check out if you are interested to come to your own conclusions.
