What’s the Deal with Himalayan Sea Salt Lamps?

As with anything that has a trendy appeal, Himalayan sea salt has started popping up everywhere. Not only can you now find it in many restaurants, but there’s now ‘salty yoga‘ (which takes place in a room covered in Himalayan rock salt), salt caves, and, of course, Himalayan sea salt lamps.

So what makes this salt variety so special? First off, Himalayan sea salt comes from mines located in the Salt Range of northern Pakistan, which sits close to 100 miles south of the Lower Himalayan range, resting 900 feet above sea level. There, it’s harvested with minimal processing, and the resulting salt is said to be rich in phosphorus, bromine, boron, zinc, and more. Now about those lamps…

Fans of Himalayan sea salt lamps claim they emit negative ions which:

• Purify the air
• Protect against electromagnetic radiation
• Stave off fatigue
• Increase oxygen flow to the brain
• Protect us from toxins
• Soothe allergies
• Lower blood pressure

If that’s the case shouldn’t we all own one? Yes, but unfortunately, like all things too good to be true, so is the hype around Himalayan sea salt lamps.

It is true that a very high concentration of negative ions may help your mood, specifically if you experience seasonal affective disorder, as a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found. But, according to snopes.com, there seems to be little proof that Himalayan sea salt lamps emit ions of any kind. Final word: Save your money, and skip the lamp. If you’re a fan of the soft hue though, these sea salt shot glasses might prove to be more useful.