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Maybe you saw one at your favorite yoga studio or alternative health clinic. Himalayan salt lamps have multiple reported benefits. Are they sufficient to make you invest?
Deciding where to spend your hard-earned money isn’t always an easy choice. You want to get maximum value. How long do salt lamps last? Are they worth the sticker price?
Himalayan salt lamps work by placing a light bulb or candle inside solid crystals. As the salt warms, it emits negatively-charged ions into the air. Negative ion concentrations of greater than 1,000 ions per centimeter are the threshold for fresh air — levels higher than this improve human immune health.
However, evidence on salt lamp efficacy remains mixed. Many previous studies have flaws, although scientists admit more research is necessary before recommending salt lamp use in people with conditions like COPD.
Proponents of these devices claim they can improve your mood while boosting immune function and purifying your indoor air. Some even say they can dissolve headaches and improve sleep. How do these claims stack up?
One study published by the National Institutes of Health suggests that negative ion exposure may moderate serotonin levels, improving focus. Other studies show no association with mood or well-being. Still, anecdotal reports indicate an attitude boost. Furthermore, people who live in locations with high levels of negative ions, like the seaside or mountains, often report lower stress levels.
Salt lamps could make office life more tolerable. One study examined the impact of negative ions on office workers and found that headache and nausea complaints decreased by 50%.
In short, although there’s little direct scientific evidence directly linking salt lamp use to the reported benefits, there is ample anecdotal support for their use. Furthermore, there are no negative side effects, making this holistic treatment safe to try if you currently endure indoor allergy symptoms, low mood, irritability, difficulty sleeping or migraines.
You can pick up inexpensive salt lamp plug-ins for less than $20. More sophisticated models can cost upward of $200 or more.
Fortunately, you only need to whip out your wallet once, at least for the salt lamp itself. You’ll have to replace the bulb, but the positive benefits you receive from the concentrated crystal renew indefinitely.
Some people get concerned when they see their salt lamp getting slick on the outside. However, this is normal. Salt lamps purify your air by pulling molecules into them. The water you see is the excess moisture released from the surrounding air as your device does its job.
You can destroy a salt lamp. Dunking it in water will dissolve it, and you can break it by dropping it. However, it’s okay to splurge on a luxury model if you have the cash. You’ll enjoy the same benefits after ten years of use as you do on the first day.
Salt lamp manufacturers often make sustainability claims, saying that the salt for their product is harvested by hand, not machine, minimizing the environmental impact. However, your purchase will still affect your carbon footprint.
Himalayan pink salt comes from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan. Today, this cave is a tourist destination, complete with a mosque built from the stuff. However, although millions of tons of these crystals exist, once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.
Furthermore, the raw material needs to travel thousands of miles before ending up on your store shelves. All that travel by sea, air and land creates considerable greenhouse emissions.
Finally, any mining work disturbs local ecosystems. So does tourism, meaning those operating the Khewra salt mine must maintain a delicate balancing act to avoid destroying local species.
A quality Himalayan salt lamp will last for life. Therefore, it’s worth the investment if you find you reap health benefits from their use.
However, you also have reasons to hesitate if you’re on the fence, particularly if you’re concerned about your environmental footprint. Only you can decide if adding a salt lamp to your home is worth it. If you decide to invest, you can expect your product to last a lifetime with proper care.
