5 Himalayan Salt Lamp Health Benefits

Pink Himalayan salt has been promoted by the natural medical community for years. That’s because Himalayan salt is one of the purest forms of salt on planet earth, and it’s packed with health benefits. Pink Himalayan salt is rich in trace minerals and loaded with electrolytes. It really is one of the healthiest salts you can eat! But did you know that Himalayan salt lamp health benefits are just as wellness worthy?

Yes, Himalayan salt lamps are strikingly beautiful and unique, but they also are believed to promote overall wellness. Research shows that salt therapy benefits the respiratory system, mood regulation, and even skin health.

What Is a Himalayan Salt Lamp?

Himalayan rock salt lamps are crafted from salt crystals mined from the Salt Range in the Himalayan mountains. This area is believed to have salt reserves estimated to be over 200 million years old. Today, the mined crystals sold as Himalayan salt lamps can be found in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. It is important to purchase from a reputable source, as fake salt lamps are saturating the marketplace.

How Do Salt Lamps Work?

These 200 million year old crystals are believed to emit negative ions into the air. This release is thought to give Himalayan salt lamp health benefits their true power. The release of these negative ions in genuine Himalayan salt lamps occurs as moisture in the air is naturally drawn to the salt. Then, the heat from the interior bulb spurs the evaporation of the water, causing the emission of negative ions.

It is believed that the release of negative ions can help to eliminate allergens in the air, improve serotonin levels, boost mental alertness, and promote a general feeling of wellness.

5 Himalayan Salt Lamp Benefits

1. COPD, Asthma, and Allergies

People with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma, allergies, and other breathing problems have used salt caves to provide relief from their symptoms for generations. Today, a treatment called “Halotherapy” is often used to relieve COPD and asthma symptoms. This therapy mimics the natural salt cave microclimate that improves a variety of respiratory conditions.

A Himalayan salt lamp doesn’t provide the same atmosphere or intense health benefits of sitting in a salt cave for a couple of hours. However, it is generally accepted that genuine Himalayan salt lamps do provide respiratory salt therapy benefits to those with COPD, sinusitis, asthma, and allergies.

2. Cystic Fibrosis

Salt therapy and inhalation of sodium chloride in clinical environments has been shown to decrease mucus retention in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients according to a report from the National Heart and Lung Institute in London. In fact, the authors of the report note that low salinity in mucus makes it more difficult to expel, which can cause a dangerous buildup in those with cystic fibrosis and other severe respiratory diseases.

Another study on saline inhalation’s effect on cystic fibrosis patients supports the findings from London. In fact, in a double-blind, parallel-group trial, the results of which were published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers flatly state that inhaling hypertonic saline improves lung function in those with cystic fibrosis.

3. Skin Health

Decades ago it was noted that Russian salt mine workers had fewer respiratory diseases than did their peers that didn’t work in the salt mines. This is what led to salt inhalation research. And now, from Russian researchers, Halotherapy is noted for its ability to treat atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, cellulite, and acne.

4. Anxiety and Insomnia

There is some evidence that real Himalayan salt lamps release negative ions into the air. It is believed that these negative ions create a peaceful and relaxing environment that may help reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.

5. Seasonal Affective Disorder and Depression

Speaking of negative ions, researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University in New York have found that negative ions demonstrate an antidepressant effect on individuals with depression or seasonal affective disorder. This study specifically used a “high-density negative ionizer” for 30 minutes each day for 20 days for study participants. And the results were impressive, with 58% of subjects responding to the treatment with no side effects.