A salt lamp, sometimes also referred to as a pink salt lamp or Himalayan salt lamp, is made from a solid chunk of Himalayan salt from Pakistan that is hollowed out to allow room for a light bulb. This light emits a warm pink-orange glow that is said to have many benefits that could help you improve both your mental and physical well-being during your yoga practice.
There are many reasons why every yogi looking to improve their practice should use a salt lamp. This includes the calm and soothing environment it creates to promote relaxation, its potential to help reduce stress and its ability to purify the air and help reduce muscle inflammation.
If you are someone who frequently practices yoga and is eager to create a zen and calming environment for yourself, adding a salt lamp will do the trick. With yoga being something you do for both your physical, mental and spiritual well-being, you will want to learn more about salt lamps and how they can help during your yoga practice.
What Is a Salt Lamp?
A salt lamp or a Himalayan salt lamp is made out of exactly what the name states – salt, which is derived from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan. The appearing pink salt comes with many boasts about its potential health benefits that can occur from using it in your kitchen as dishware to having it as a piece of home decor.
While not much scientific evidence has been put out regarding what a salt lamp can do for you, many people still applaud the improvements it has made for them personally.
To truly understand why a salt lamp can benefit your life, you have to try it out for yourself. Even if you do not benefit from some of the amazing things it does for some people, the pink-orange glow and gorgeous addition to your yoga space/room decor still makes it worth the investment.
Listed below are eight reasons why you should consider adding a salt lamp to space or room you complete your yoga practice in.
It Creates a Calm and Soothing Environment
When practicing yoga, it is essential that you are in a calm and soothing environment. Since yoga is all about the unity of your mind, body, and spirit, it is best to create a space that promotes the ability for you to connect with yourself.
While having a quiet space, a yoga mat, and dim lights can help set the tone of the room, adding a salt lamp can make it all the better in improving the space you practice yoga, and here’s how.
Warm Lighting
The salt lamp emits a warm orange-pink glow that will lightly shine while the room is dim and make it look like a sunset is happening just outside (you will need other lights, as they are not that bright). This light creates an ambiance of zen and relaxation through the pink glow that shines through.
It is suggested that by just looking at the color pink, it will help promote faster mental capabilities and relaxation. In a study conducted with potentially hostile or aggressive individuals, relaxation and little to no aggressiveness were observed after they were exposed to the color pink.
Sets the Mood
Using a salt lamp and allowing that warm glowing light to shine throughout the room can really promote a calm environment, and it is a great way to set the tone for your practice.
It will also help decorate and beautify your home, allowing you to personalize the space or room you practice yoga in. There is more on this below.
It Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety
If you choose to do yoga to help with any built-up stress or anxiety, the salt lamp can help you get rid of that by clearing your mind.
In addition to the warm pink light that is proven to help relax you and clear your mind so you are ready for your practice, the salt lamp itself, when turned on, can help you in other super cool ways as well.
It is suggested that the negative ions that are released from the salt lamp when it is on, and the salt gets heated up, will help to counteract the positively charged energy that is around us every day. This positively charged energy is what has the potential to cause us stress, anxiety, fear, depression, and frustration.
These ions get released into the air when a change in the atmosphere starts to happen. Air ions are also produced from waves, waterfalls, storms, radiation, and even sunlight.
By reducing any stress or anxiety you may carry on a day to day basis, you will be able to focus better on the task you have at hand, which in this case is your yoga practice. Overall, this can make for a better yoga session as it will allow you to zone in more on the poses and allow you to feel the full mental, physical, and spiritual benefits you normally get.
It Purifies the Air of Pollutants
The negative ions that the salt lamps release are also natural attractors for dust and allergens, removing or killing them from the air as these allergens are found in water particles floating all around us. This suggests that when the salt lamp is on, it can help purify and detoxify the air you breathe, making it more clean and pure.
However, it is also said only a small amount of negative ions are released by salt lamps. So, using it on its own as a way to clear the air may not work as well as it should if it was also used with other things, such as plants, as they can also remove harmful chemicals from the air.
It Can Reduce Muscle Inflammation
By having a salt lamp near you during your yoga practice, it is said that it can help reduce muscle inflammation that, in turn, can prevent any cramps or pains and allow you to be able to sink better and deeper into your poses.
If you have done hot yoga before, you know that being in a hot room can really relax your muscles, making you more flexible and overall have a much easier time practicing your yoga poses. So, instead of running the hot water in the shower all day at home, using a salt lamp in your at-home yoga practice can be a great way to get lesser but still similar effects.
It Promotes Relaxation and Focus
Overall, there are two main things about a salt lamp that, when combined, set the stage for a calming, mindful, and relaxing yoga practice.
Warm Dim Light
The warm pink-orange glow that is emitted, as mentioned previously, can help reduce stress, anxiety and overall cause you to become more relaxed. While the pink light helps relax you, which is essential in yoga so you can be fully present in practice, the orange tint of the light also helps.
Studies suggest that orange light influences people to become more alert, and sections of their brain became active after looking at the color orange. Being alert can be beneficial in yoga as it takes a certain amount of focus to master poses and improve your balance.
Promotes Relaxed Muscles
If you have a salt lamp with you, it is said to help relax your muscles by reducing your muscle inflammation. Overall, making for more calming and painless yoga practice as you move throughout the poses.
It Is a Nice Decorative Item
While possibly the least beneficial reason for using a salt lamp during your yoga practice, it is one that can really be the deal-breaker for why you end up choosing to invest in one.
A soft pink colored rock salt lamp with a pink-orange warm light can really be a great addition to your yoga space. If you are trying to create a zen and soothing atmosphere adding a salt lamp to your room or space is a great idea.
If you have an inviting, warm, and calming environment to practice yoga, you will be more likely to do it more often.
Here are some other things you can add to your space, in addition to a salt lamp to improve the looks and overall vibe of your yoga space:
- A floor cushion to sit on or for extra support
- Candles to add extra light and a nice smell
- Plants to assist in keeping the air clear
- Crystals to help get you spiritually connected
- A blanket in case you get cold or need it for a pose
- Positive photos or quotes that get hung on the wall
- An oil diffuser to add a nice scent to the room
It Is an All-Natural and Cost-Effective Option
One of the best things about getting a salt lamp to use during your practice is that you know it is nothing more than salt and has no negative side effects if you choose to use it. A salt lamp is all-natural, organic, and the light is fairly dim, so it should not bother you.
It is also a very cost-effective option if you are looking to improve your practice without spending too much money.
It Enhances Sleepiness
If you are someone who loves to do your yoga practice at the end of the day, using a salt lamp as the only light throughout can help make you sleepier. If you are going straight to bed after, this makes for a great wind-down activity.
Researchers have shown that when you are exposed to bright lights at night, your body will not produce the sleeping hormone, melatonin, and cause you to be more awake and not get tired, even if it is later at night.
Using the dim light that shines off the salt lamp, you will be signaling to your body it is time to get tired, and melatonin will begin being produced within your body and make you feel more tired and ready to cozy up in bed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Use a Salt Lamp?
It’s simple and is the exact same as any other lamp you have in your house. You plug it in, flip the switch, and it will shine a warm light into your room.
It’s best to place it where you will be spending most of your time practicing yoga, so you never have to run and get it as they can be fairly heavy the larger they are. You can also leave it on all day, even before or after your practice, to keep the effects of it going strong.
How Do I Care for a Salt Lamp?
While having a salt lamp is nothing compared to having a pet or even a plant for that matter, you may still come across some issues that need to be taken care of.
Light Bulb Burns Out
If the light bulb burns out, do not worry, you can easily change the bulb. In order to do so, make sure you first unplug the salt lamp from the outlet.
You will then either be able to lift the salt directly off the base and change the lightbulb that is connected to the base or flip the entire light over and find the cable that is connected to a light bulb that gets inserted into the base of the salt lamp.
Salt Lamp Is Leaking Water
Since your salt lamp will attract moisture, you may also find that it gets wet if you have not turned it on in a while. This will then cause the salt to build upon the bottom.
You can wipe the salt lamp with a rag and dust off the collected salt to fix this. However, you do not need to dry it, as when you turn the light on, the heat will get rid of the moisture.
Real Salt Lamps vs. Fake Salt Lamps
Of course, with many products come the fake recreations that try and sell you on all the things it “can” do. But, as you can probably infer, a fake lamp will be made out of something else and not Himalayan rock salt, so it will only be as good as the desk lamp you have next to your bed.
To spot a fake lamp and tell if it is real or not, you can look at these signs:
- The light is very bright. This is not normal for an authentic salt lamp and will be a key indicator if it is real or not.
- It is a white salt lamp. If it is a white salt lamp, it must have been rare to find and much more expensive. While these exist, they cost more money than a typical salt lamp.
- It doesn’t break. Salt lamps are very delicate and must be handled with care. If you see flakes coming off right out of the box, that’s a good sign.
- The lamp doesn’t sweat. Since Himalayan salt lamps absorb moisture and, as a result, will release it through “sweating,” you can be sure you have a fake lamp if this never happens, especially after leaving it off for a long period of time.
- It is on the lighter side. Salt lamps are typically fairly heavy, and even the small ones weigh a decent amount. If yours does not, it is probably fake.
Note: Do not lick or try to see if the lamp tastes salty. Sometimes the product is made out of can be toxic if it is not made of Himalayan rock salt. Even if it does taste salty, that could just be because salt was used to make the product.
Final Thoughts
If you consider yourself to be a yogi and practice yoga often, you’re missing out if you don’t have a pink rock salt lamp lit up somewhere in the room you practice your yoga. While it helps to promote relaxation, reduce muscle inflammation, purify your air, reduce stress and anxiety, it is also a super cute addition to your room’s decor.
By adding a salt lamp to your yoga practice, you will greatly improve your experience while connecting with yourself more in practice and how well you can do certain poses.
Keep in mind that not a lot of scientific evidence exists to prove these factors, but it is definitely something worth trying for yourself. You should also know how you should care for your salt lamp and how to spot a fake from a real one if you choose to buy one for your yoga practice.
