The Amazing Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamp (Updated 2019)
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Himalayan salt lamps have the ability to chemically and physically transform a room, and have unique health benefits. People who use pink Himalayan salt lamps say that they help to increase blood flow, reduce allergy symptoms and even help to get a better sleep. Some of the other health benefits of Himalayan pink salt lamps (HPS lamps) include reduction of mental health related disorders, improvement of skin conditions and respiratory problems such as asthma and even colds.
What Makes Himalayan Salt Lamps Beneficial to your Health?
Before I can explain to you why pink Himalayan salt lamps are so beneficial to your health, I need to briefly tell you about positive and negative ions and how they can affect the way you feel.
Have you ever noticed how mentally and physically refreshed you feel after sitting by a gashing waterfall? Or how you experience a boost in energy after spending some time at an untamed seafront? What makes you feel so good in spots of this kind is the abundance of negative ions, which get produced in some natural places.
Now, there is a way to mimic these perfect circumstances in your own home and indoor places where you spend a lot of time.
The Potential of Negative Ions
Nature produces negative ions to combat air pollution. They attract the harmful particles, which are positively charged, and they balance and neutralize them, so that they lose their damaging characteristics.
In order to breathe in fresh and pure air and protect our health, we want to be surrounded by negative ions. Negative ions stimulate the flow of oxygen to your brain and in this way increase your mental alertness and energy.
The Dangers of Positive Ions
We are surrounded by positive and negative ions – these are atoms or molecules that have lost or gained an electron and are electrically charged.
Positive ions are created by electronic devices and have been dubbed ‘electronic smog’ or ‘electronic air pollution’. As we all know, we are increasingly surrounded by all sorts of computers, large screen TVs, telephones, microwaves and other appliances we now deem necessary for our survival and entertainment (although only a decade ago we did perfectly well without most of these).
Studies have shown that your brain gets bombarded by frequencies 20 times higher than its optimal frequency, which results in all sorts of problems, including insomnia, nervousness and allergies.
The World Health Organization calls the electronic smog “one of the most common and fastest growing environmental influences” and states that concerns about the health effects should be taken seriously.
In short, positive ions are very harmful to us and need to be neutralized.
What is a Himalayan Salt Lamp?
I have previously written about the amazing pink Himalayan salt. Salt lamps are blocks of pure Himalayan salt, so they come from the same region of the world. Also known as the ‘Vitamins of the Air’, they are made from the salt that came from ancient oceans, and serve as a perfect air ionizer.
Pink Himalayan salt lamps can be solid pieces of salt like this one or decorative baskets filled with large crystals of salt like this one.
The lamp has a small bulb inside and is shaped in a sophisticated way to create a beautiful decorative object of an exceptional health value.
How do Salt Crystal Lamps Work?
Himalayan salt lamps emit negative ions.
The bulb inside of the lamp heats the crystal and supports the ionizing effect.
A scientific study in the Pakistan Journal of Molecular Biology says:
“The negative ions are generated by a continuous interplay of water attraction and evaporation. The salt crystal lamp attracts water molecules from the surrounding air to its warm surface. The water and salt form a solution. In the process of evaporation of the solution, due to the heat of the lamp, negatively charged ions are created. Both positive and negative ions are created but much more negative ions than positive ions are created, therefore providing a surplus of negative ions.”
Salt itself is hygroscopic and attracts the water from the surroundings. You can often see that the salt lamp is damp or even wet, especially in more humid environments. Due to the gentle heat of the lamp, the water quickly evaporates and during the evaporation process the beneficial negative ions get created. They go on to bind with excessive positive ions (bacteria, molds and allergens all carry a positive charge) and neutralize the electronic smog in your home.
Moreover, pink Himalayan salt lamp is a very pure source of light and its multi-colored glow has a soothing effect and relaxes you.
Scientifically speaking, the Himalayan salt lamp achieves the following things:
- It ionizes the room.
- It balances artificial frequencies and unnatural electromagnetic wavelengths that originate from electronic appliances.
- It produces the light waves of the rainbow spectrum which protect your body.
Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps
People using salt lamps report improvement in their physical and mental well-being soon after starting to light them. They are said to help with:
- respiratory problems (including colds)
- allergies
- skin conditions
- mental and stress-related disorders (including insomnia)
- headaches and migraines
- rheumatism
- blood system disorders.
Due to their calming colors (different shades of orange and pink), rock lamps have also been used in color therapy to help treat neurotic disorders and sleeplessness.
The Himalayan salt lamps have other health benefits and they have been recommended for anyone wishing to:
- Improve the quality of air in their immediate environment.
- Achieve a feeling of relaxation and meditation. This could be because it increases 5-HT metabolism.
- Improve various health disorders and maintain good health.
Pink Himalayan Salt Lamps in your Home: Where to Place Them
Don’t expect massive improvements if you tuck away a single rock lamp in the far corner of your house where no-one ever goes. These lamps have a limited range. You will achieve best results if you place them somewhere where you and your family spend a lot of time, or where there are a lot of electronic appliances.
It is suggested to have more than just one pink Himalayan rock salt lamp. You can start with one of course and then add to your collection as you go along. In a similar way to these plants that clean and filter the air – the more the better. You should aim to have at least one in every room you frequently use, such as bedrooms and living rooms.
Think about the following:
- Where do you spend most time?
- Where do you have a lot of ‘electronic smog’ from computers, TVs, mobile phones, etc.?
- Where would you like to enjoy the lamp’s relaxing effects?
Then, place your salt lamps in these areas.
Another way to improve the quality of air in your house is by frequently airing the place, so the air can circulate. In the winter months or when there are high levels of air pollution, it might be difficult to leave the windows open and sufficiently air all the rooms. That is when the salt lamps can be particularly useful and can help cleanse the air and remove the stubborn winter bugs.
There are a lot of fake and cheaper versions on the market that don’t use Himalayan salt. You should check the origin of the lamp you are purchasing. The real lamp is made from pure, food grade Himalayan salt. Substitutes from rock salt will not provide you with the same benefits.
For more ideas on how to naturally improve the air quality read my other articles:
- These Plants Are Oxygen Bombs – Have At Least One Of Them To Clean The Air At Your Home
- How to Naturally Make Your Home Smell Fantastic
To learn about the amazing health benefits of pink Himalayan salt read my article: 11 Amazing Health Benefits of Pink Himalayan Salt
Scientific Resources: Naz, Hajra and Darakhsham J Haleem. “Exposure to Illuminated Salt Lamp Increases 5-HT Metabolism: A Serotonergic Perspective to Its Beneficial Effects.” Terman, Michael et al. “A Controlled Trial of Timed Bright Light and Negative Air Ionization for Treatment of Winter Depression.” Alexander, Dominik D. et al. “Air Ions and Respiratory Function Outcomes: A Comprehensive Review.” World Health Organization. “What Are Electromagnetic Fields?” Perez, V. et al. “Air Ions and Mood Outcomes: A Review and Meta-analysis.”
Pakistan Journal of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. 27 April 2010.
JAMA Psychiatry. October 1998.
Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine. 9 September 2013.
BMC Psychiatry. 15 January 2013.
where i get this salt lamp??
You can buy it online (like Amazon or other online shops) or in some lighting centers/stores or homeware stores.
You can buy high quality Himalayan Salt Lamps from Salt Lamp Store 🙂
What is the address of the Salt Lamp Store.
where we can buy himalayan salt lamp?
and what is the price of this lamp.
Aree there stores in the Philippines thst sell this H. Salt?
You can buy them here. http://amzn.to/1Qnzc4v They have a wide variety. I also bought mine here.
Mind, Body & Spirit fairs will have them. It’s where I got mine from but you can also get them off Amazon too 😃
Where do U stay?
If you in Leicester I retail them from home
They’re also excellent feng shui cures! I have one in my house…and one in my office. I like the round ones.
where’s the link where we can get the Authentic Himalayan Salt Lamp
Link to purchase
Please let me know where can I buy theselamps if on line or a retail or the retail or thanks
You can buy them at WALMART.
I live from where they take out salt and make hundered of these lamps.5 US $ for a lovely lamp.
yes I am interested in purchasing a couple of lamps-but have a limited $ account
Where do these salt lamps originate from? I’ll buy them directly from the source instead.
Where is that may I ask??
Where can I buy one of these lamps? I’m in USA
OMG … Read! Amazon. Bed Bath & Beyond. All over the place. Google it! You’re the tenth person to ask and the answer is in the thread! Geeez!
Hilarious :’D
You only think people visiting this site is from north America. There are people from other parts of the world that can’t order from those places that you listed. Don’t be so narrow minded.
Wow you are so polite
Rather than be rude you could have just not replied. GEEZE
I live in Himalayas, I got mine from that girl that lives at the foot of the hill. ( Just joking)
If you are near Himalayas, try that guy at the foot of the hill, he usually has one or two for sale.lol
I bought mine at Ross and TJ Max that is the cheapest places
LTD Commodities online catalog, I bought a large one for $9.99
You can buy these at Bed Bath and Beyond
Hey people. these lamps are available in [email protected] @mathur
Hi..Amrut
Thanks for information, if you can get me full contact details of manpreet mathur. As I want to buy salt lamps.
Thanks waiting for your reply
I bought one at Ross, lol. I want more now.
Can I put them in children’s room?
Yes, you can.
Just in case anyone would like to know these lamps not only purify the air, but for some reason they kill bed bugs, which is a bonus for anyone that has tried everything else
I wish I would of known this a few yrs back when one of my daughter’s room mates brought bed bugs into the house and it cost my daughter over $3,000 to get rid of them and a lot of stress for everyone in the house. I know now! WOW! 🙂
rubbing alcohol kills those suckers FAST! You have to be careful because rubbing alcohol is flammable but it is highly effective. Our downstairs neighbor in our old apt. building had a nest of bedbugs he never bothered to get rid of and they spread through our building. We ended up with an infestation ourselves which two visits from an exterminator was not able to eradicate. I was desperate and at the end of my rope when I started trying all different types of chemicals, pledge, windex, you name it.. nothing really worked until I spilled rubbing alcohol on my bed by accident. Next thing you know, they were avoiding that side of the bed… I started spraying the mattress every night before bed (leaving the room until the fumes settled). problem solved! We’ve since moved and not a single one made it to our new place, THANK GOD!
I have six of these and I believe that they work !! My mom has respiratory problem and I think it has helped her a lot.
I heard these lamps can leave marks on furniture, is this true?
Hi Nancy, I’ve read a comment of a lady who advised that When not using the lamp for long periods of time, don’t leave your lamp in a humid room, as it attracts moisture from the air (as part of its function) and it began to weep all over her furniture. I have also read a recommendation of Himalayan salt lamps manufacturer that recommends placing your Himalayan salt lamp onto a decorative plate or holder to avoid it leaving marks on furniture. The manufacturer also recommends that if you plan on having your lamp switched off for an extended period, he recommends unplugging the power cord, separating the cord from your salt lamp, and wrapping the salt lamp in a plastic bag to keep it air tight. This will prevent the lamp from pooling water.
hi. i live in the high desert. should i spritz the lamp with purified water? since we have such low humidity? its usually in the 30% range for humidity here.
thanks!
Hi Racheal, if you spritz the lamp with water, since salt is hygroscopic (attracts water to its surface) the lamp might “sweat” (although if the salt lamp is left on, the heat of the light bulb will prevent sweating and will help evaporation). You can perhaps spritz a little bit of water in the room but I would not spritz it directly on the lamp.
I actually tend to get pools of water underneath my lamp on or off.I was wondering why.IThank you for easing my worries about it being damaged!
i bought mine at earth bound in the US the medium sized one runs about 30 bucks
Great article! I love these lamps, I have a grey and white salt light as well, and in various shapes, really beautiful and all mine come with a dimmer switch so I can adjust the brightness- I got mine from So Well, http://www.natural-salt-lamps.com
can you turn it on and leave it on or does it need to be shut of at times?
Some people leave their lamp on all the time, but you don’t have to – some people turn it off before they go to sleep.
This one is the best: http://amzn.to/1PThytf
I have that one also, and really like it.
This one is made of Rock salt though and not the Himalayan salt so the benefits arent the same. I am trying to find one and looking at the orgins and this is not himalayab salt
I purchased this one on eBay, is there any way to tell if it is real or not? It says “100% Himalayan Salt”, but how can I be sure?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290862461986?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I have beautiful lamps from http://www.sowellmade.com, I use them in my birds rooms and all over the house. Even my dogs love them! They have these dimmers on them, which is excellent to have! I was told to keep them on as much as possible and use as many in the house as I could for best results. The company is wonderful! and the selection is wonderful. And I think they are fair trade which you never know when buying products made oversees how they are being made.
We have 3 of these lamps and they are awesome!!! I keep one right on my desk and have it on all day and night while I’m working. 🙂
My daughter and I have a Himalayan salt lamp in every room. We love them. So soothing. Just sent one to my granddaughter and hope she’ll enjoy it as much as we do.
I have found a good quality Himalayan salt lamp at Walmart for only $15! It comes mounted on a wooden base, and has a dimmer switch. It would make a terrific Christmas gift.
Need to know proper use of the salt lamp. example: length of time to leave on etc.
You can check this store https://himalayansaltusa.com/ if you are in the US. Good luck!
How hot are they suppose to get to work a friend and I bought one and the blub blew on both of them when we pluged it in. We put new bulbs in them but not sure they are strong enough
Hi Judy, I’ve found an information in a website of Himalayan salt lamp manufacturer as per your problem. This is what it says under FAQ:
Why are my Bulbs blowing?
The globes used in Himalayan Salt Lamps are meant to be in a stationary position. If they are moved suddenly or are exposed to vibration, they are likely to pop. High humidity can also cause globes to pop.
If you have globes popping (blowing) regularly, here are some things to take into consideration;
* The globe is not quite screwed in firmly enough to touch both contacts.
* The globe is touching the inside surface of the lamp.
* The lamp is moved while the lamp has been on for a while.
* There is a large current drawing appliance on the same circuit that is turned on/off and there is a momentary power spike.
* There is excessive ‘micro vibration’ nearby ie: too close to a TV.
* After a Bulb has been changed the cord and bulbs has been pushed too far to the top of lamp and is touching the salt.
* If the lamp has been turned off and it has ‘cried’ while been off and has not been wrapped up, salt may have cried onto the bulb which will cause it to blow.
if you are in manitoba,canada, i just bought a large one for 20.00 at bianca liquidation outlet
I love my Himalayan salt lamp and want to use it while I sleep. However, it’s too bright. I put it on the lower shelf of my night stand so it won’t be as bright. I’m wondering if this will prevent me from receiving its benefits since it’s somewhat enclosed? Any wisdoms on this?
How does himalayan salt differ from rock salt? They’re both solid sodium chloride so I would expect both types of salt to be equally effective.
Hi Alex, Himalayan salt lamp is a type of rock salt lamp – they are made from salt crystals from the Himalayan mountain regions and come in variety of shades such as white or orange/pink. There are other rock salt lamps that come from a number of other locations throughout the world (although some claim that the finest quality comes from the Himalaya).
i have a salt lamp & use it every night. i’d like to know how long is the lamp good for? i’ve had it for a few years now
The lamp will last forever if you take care of it. The bulb depends on your usage just like any normal light bulb.
I just have a question. I just recently bought a Himalayan Salt Lamp and was wondering if I could cover it at night with a light cloth napkin to dim it slight as it is rather bright in our room when we sleep.
I tried to search it but couldn’t find information about it. I believe that covering it with a light breathable cloth is fine.
Where can I get a replacement when the bulb and wire get spoilt?
I saw that Amazon sells them.
My lamp has a dimmer switch… If i don’t have the light on, will i still recieve benifits??
No. The bulb inside of the lamp heats the crystal and supports the ionizing effect. If the bulb is turned off, you will not have this effect.
I bought several for Christmas presents this pass Christmas. My daughter ask if it reduced snoring, her husband’s snoring a lot better.
I’ve read about some anecdotal evidence that some people keep the lamp on their nightstand and turn it on for 2-3 hours before bedtime. When the heat from the lamp reacts with the salt, it creates a reaction that purifies the air, and some people who use these lamps have noticed a reduction in snoring, allergies and asthma.
Just. Beautiful. I am always recommending to my friends and family that they get some lamps. A guy I know also had amazing benefits from using a Himalayan salt pipe for his breathing issues. I have 4 in my home, I’m completely obsessed with them!
My 2 dogs sleep in their beds in my bedroom. Is their any contraindications for dogs?
From what I’ve read, you need to make sure that the dogs cannot reach the salt lamp so they avoid licking it, as too much salt can be harmful for dogs (and cats). Other than that I couldn’t find any information that indicates that the lamps are not safe for pets.
Hi, I would like to know which is the perfect place to place the lamp…
See my guidelines in the article under the title “Pink Himalayan Salt Lamps in your Home: Where to Place Them”
does the himalayan salt slowly melt.
No.
How long is this Himalayan salt lamp last for
I’ve read that as long as the lamp is not immersed in water (as it is salt and will dissolve) it will last for a very very long time, but I don’t know what about the electrical mechanism of it.
QUESTION-FOR IT OT BE HEALTHFUL HOW LONG SHOULD IT BE ON–ALL THE TIME OR JUST WHEN NEEDED-thank you
To get the full benefits of Himalayan Salt Lamps its generally recommended to leave the salt lamp turned on all the time, as the more you leave it on, the greater air ionizing and purifying effect it will have. The lamps are generally safe to leave on at all times, but if you plan on to leave your home for an extended period of time, for example if you go on vacation, then it’s best to unplug it until you return.
Hello to all!
Would any one know how exactly does salt crystals “It balances artificial frequencies and unnatural electromagnetic wavelengths that originate from electronic appliances”?
“It produces the light waves of the rainbow spectrum which protect your body.”
The Sun does a marvelous job of producing rainbows and light. As far as everything I have read light can be beneficial by its effects on your mood but harmful to your body.
As far as the lamp effecting ions in the air. Possible. But probably to a very limited amount.
Do I leave my salt lamp on all of the time?
Some people leave their lamp on all the time, but you don’t have to – some people turn it off before they go to sleep. The lamps are generally safe to leave on at all times, but if you plan on to leave your home for an extended period of time, for example if you go on vacation, then it’s best to unplug it until you return.
I do leave mine on all the time unless someone else turns it off
My lamp has a plug that is like the one I use for my phone charger. Does it need to be on a charger? or just needs an adapter for a normal plug? Seems like a silly question but I didn’t want to harm the lamp by doing it wrong. Thank You
The lamp does not need to be charged and you need a normal plug. If the plug you have doesn’t fit, you’ll need an electrical adapter.