Do salt lamps really work? Himalayan salt lamps have grown in popularity in the United States in recent years. They are often marketed as natural air purifiers that can also help with respiratory issues, mood, and sleep.

Salt has been used in treating ailments for centuries, especially in “halotherapy”, which involves breathing in salt-rich air.

Few scientific studies have been done on the subject of in-home salt lamps, but research into some of the claims made by salt lamp producers has been mixed.

Here’s an overview of the reported benefits and some studies that have looked at the claims associated with Himalayan salt lamps. This information can be helpful to consider when thinking about adding a salt lamp to your home.

Do Himalayan Salt Lamps Purify My Home’s Indoor Air?

How Do Himalayan Salt Lamps Work?

When heated, salt is a natural ionizer. It changes the electrical charge of the air around it. Other natural ionizers include waterfalls, waves, and storms, though these produce much larger numbers of negative ions than salt lamps can.

The idea is that as salt blocks are heated, they release negative ions into the air, which “attract particles of pollution and give them a negative charge, making them seek an electrical ground and causing them to fall harmlessly to the floor.”¹

Salt is also naturally hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water molecules from the air. Some salt lamp producers claim that the water molecules that are trapped by the salt block contain harmful impurities that are then removed from the air.²

Benefits and Evidence

Air Purification

The claims about benefits for people with respiratory issues, like asthma, probably come from the use of halotherapy, which has been shown to improve respiratory health in some cases.³

However, the concentrations of salt used in halotherapy are much greater than those found in common salt lamps. And no studies have focused directly on Himalayan salt lamps and respiratory health.

Other claims about removing impurities from the air are based on hygroscopy, which is a known process. But it’s unclear if common salt lamps are capable of removing significant amounts of contaminants like dust, pollen, smoke, and mold from the air.

Mood

Research has shown that people report improved feelings after exposure to large concentrations of negative ions.

It’s unclear how many negative ions salt lamps can produce when heated by a light bulb, and if those levels of concentration would compare to what was shown in the study.

Beyond negative ions, salt lamps look nice in a room and can make it feel cozier. This can help improve your mood, and make your environment more relaxing for others.

Bottom line, the Himlayan salt lamps can add a calming presence to any room in your home.

Sleep

At this time, there have been no studies that analyze the effects of salt lamps on quality of sleep. And there is no known association between higher levels of negative ions and better sleep.⁴

However, the lamp’s warm, inviting glow is a great alternative to glaring overhead lights as you wind down at the end of the day. And this may help you fall asleep faster.

Conclusion

Salt lamps are not a proven method for air purification, but they can improve mood and make it easier to sleep.

Salt lamps have not been adequately tested. But their potential to improve your mood and the comfort of a your home environment can make them beneficial for you and your family.⁵

Sources

• 1 Solay Wellness, Inc.: http://www.natural-salt-lamps.com/howdosaltlampswork.html
• 2 Mind Body Green Lifestyle: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/the-health-properties-and-benefits-of-himalayan-salt-lamps
• 3 Journal of Medicine and Life: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4391365/
• 4 BMC Psychiatry: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23320516
• 5 Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/mind-and-mood
• Live Science: https://www.livescience.com/59328-himalayan-salt-lamp-faq.html