A Himalayan salt lamp is one of those things you really need to try out. They are essentially large pieces of pure Himalayan salt with a small bulb inside.
The lamp can be a solid piece of salt or a decorative basket filled with large crystals of salt. A salt lamp offers a nice warm glow when lit.
These salt lamps have gained a lot of popularity in recent years, not only due to the beautiful glow they emit but also due to other great benefits attributed to them. This article provides some of these benefits, concerns and what to consider when buying the best salt lamp.
What is a Himalayan salt lamp?
Himalayan salt lamp
A Himalayan salt lamp is a large piece of pure Himalayan salt fitted with a small bulb inside. Himalayan sea salt is believed to compose dried remnants of the original, primal sea dating a long time back.
The only true source of the salt used to make this lamps are believed to be those from Mines in Khewra, Pakistan, located on the western edge of the Himalayan mountains.
The color of real Himalayan salt lamps range from a light pink to a pinkish orange, this is as the result of the mineral concentration.
A salt lamp not only gives light and warmth, there are also other great benefits that a salt lamp can offer. For starters, salt is hygroscopic in nature, this means it attracts water molecules to itself. The lamp is believed to work by attacking water molecules.
The attracted water may also carry indoor air pollutants such as bacteria, molds, and allergens. The pollutants then become trapped in the salt and since the salt is heated, the water dries out and the lamp continues the circle of attracting more water from your environment.
Himalayan salt lamp benefit
It is believed that just looking at the glow of a Himalayan salt lamp can be therapeutic. Though currently, they are no scientific studies supporting the claims, there is a good reason to believe that a genuine slat lamp can provide great health benefits.
It is said that salt lamps may have the following benefits:
1. Mood booster
Himalayan salt lamps have been attributed to reducing anxiety symptoms. According to color therapy, the warm pinkish or orange glow produced by these lamps can be a calming.
Salt lamps are also said to release negative ions into the air, this is what helps reduce anxiety and encourage a relaxing atmosphere for sleep. For that reason, you might consider placing the salt lamp next to your bed.
You cannot seem taste or smell negative ions released to the environment by the salt lamp. However, ones the negative ions reach the bloodstream, they are believed to produce a biochemical reaction that increases levels of serotonin (mood chemicals). These chemicals alleviate depression, relieve stress and boost daytime energy.
2. Boost energy levels
A Himalayan salt lamp may also help boost energy levels for those with seasonal affective disorder SAD. The soft orange hue from the salt lamp is one of the soothing colors often used to calm mood and increase focus.
Positive energy saps our bodies of energy, salt lamp counter this by emitting negative ions that boosts our levels of energy over time.
3. Air purification
Crystal slat is hygroscopic in nature, it is able to purify the air by attracting water vapor from our environment. The vapor often contains pollutants such as molds, bacteria, and allergens that are trapped in the salt lamp.
The salt traps the pollutants and releases the water back to the environment. This circle continues while the salt lamp is on and off, this, therefore, leaves the air in your room clean and healthier.
4. Neutralize electromagnetic radiation
Due to increased industrial activities, most of us live in an ocean of electromagnetic radiation. EM radiation flows from electronic devices, among other appliances.
While the radiation is invisible, the long-term effect of exposure can be very catastrophic. Effects will include increased levels of stress, chronic fatigue, and decreased immune response among other unwanted effects.
A Himalayan salt lamp can work to neutralize electromagnetic radiation by emitting negative ions into the environment. If it is possible, keep one salt lamp next to your computer, television set or near other electric devices.
5. Soothe symptoms of allergy and asthma
The lamp is made of natural salt, the salt is used in inhalers to ease the symptoms of asthma and allergy. Over time, salt therapy has been used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
According to the lung institute, some people have found salt therapy to be an effective option for relieving symptoms of lung disease, this is said to result in easier breathing. A salt lamp is a small-scale way of benefiting from salt therapy.
6. Ease coughing
Coughing can at times be attributed to increased positive ions in the air that lines the trachea causing to become sluggish making it unable to keep containers out of the lungs. When lit, Himalayan salt lamp will absorb excess water from the environment taking positive ion along.
The lamp will then emit negative ions into the air that increases ciliary activity to keep your lungs clean. What this means is that slap lamp help your body filter air more effectively such that no harmful particles find their way to your lungs, this can ease coughing.
7. Environmental friendly light source
Unlike other sources of light and heat, Himalayan salt lamps are environmentally friendly. It is estimated that the reserves from which the salt is mined measures somewhere between 80 and 600 million tons projected to last for about 350 years.
The base of the lamp is carved from a sustainable wood. The lamp also uses a low-wattage bulb that consumes very little energy, whereas others are powered from a lit candle.
Best Himalayan salt lamp
Before you buy a salt lamp, a lot of consideration has to be given to the size, type and where to buy the lamp. You need to consider the size of the room you wish to place the salt lamp in as the coverage of the salt lamp is determined by the size of the salt crystals.
For a normal bedroom, a small salt is often what you need but if you wish to place the lamp in a large living room, you need to consider a larger salt lamp.
The general rule is you need one pound of salt rock for 16 square (4 by 4 feet room) feet to effectively cleanse the air of the place. An alternative would be to use multiple salt lamps.
Salt lamps cost less than other types, a good quality Himalayan salt lamp can go for a year before the need to replace it. If you wish to purchase one, we recommend you consider the following:
- The color of the lamp, dark-colored lamps are considered high quality
- The surface of the salt lamp should be rough to increase its hygroscopic potential
- The size of the lamp, the larger the salt lamp the bigger the effect
- The bulb used should be able to produce both heat and lighting, this is because hygroscopic benefit of a Himalayan salt lamp is due to both heat and light produced by the bulb
- Buy a salt lamp that is firmly connected to the base
Where to buy Himalayan salt lamp
Just like with other products, there poor quality Himalayan lamps out there, before purchasing one, you may need to do your homework right, here are some of the things that will help differential a real salt lamp from a fake one:
- the return policy on the lamp, a genuine salt lamp will have a flexible policy due to the fragile nature of the lamp as opposed to fake one with a “no return” policy
- Due to high mineral content, a true salt lamp does not give off enough light to completely illuminate a room
- A real Himalayan salt lamp gives off a war pinkish or orange hue, anything apart from these may not be the real thing. A white crystal lamp is probably a fake salt lamp
- Natural salt absorbs water if you’re salt lamp has no problem being near moisture sources like in the shower, then most probably you have the wrong thing
- Real salt lamp is fragile, you do not expect it to survive an accident such as a bang
- You seem not to enjoy any of the health benefits listed above
- The origin of the crystals used to manufacture the salt lamp isn’t Pakistan.
You need to be aware of these before you can purchase the salt lamp. You can buy a genuine Himalayan salt lamp from leading online store such as Amazon, E-bay, Alibaba, and from general stores like Walmart, Kroger, Costco and Home Depot among others. There are also retails that specialize in shipping the products.
Himalayan salt lamp warning
Some precautions should be taken when using a salt lamp. As said salt is hygroscopic, it absorbs water from the environment. With time, the crystal salt may begin to melt with prolonged exposure to high humidity.
For this reason, it is recommended that the salt lamps should be kept away from household moisture sources such as shower, laundry rooms, and dishwashers. It can be dangerous if the salt begins to leaking onto the lamp holder.
When buying a salt lamp, consider buying one that is firmly connected to the base, also buy a slat lamp with UL certification, this is an extra measure of safety assurance.
Just like with other lamps, you need to always practice proper fire safety, this includes keeping the lamps away from children reach.
References:
- 10 reasons you need to have Himalayan salt lamp: http://www.naturallivingideas.com/himalayan-pink-salt-lamp-benefits/
- Do salt lamp really generate negative ions: https://wellnessmama.com/23569/himalayan-salt-lamp-benefits/
- Benefits of Himalayan salt lamp: https://draxe.com/himalayan-salt-lamp/
- Do Himalayan salt lamp really work: https://www.healthline.com/health/himalayan-salt-lamps
