Whether or not you’re a firm proponent of nursery room night lights, there are a couple of compelling reasons pushing us in favor of them. For starters, a dim, muted glow is a better alternative to switching on brighter lights and risking waking up snoozing babies when we go to check up on them. Having a handy little light close by when nursing our kids or changing their diapers is another plus, when they aren’t so bright that they signal play-time to our partially snoozing children.
The trick is to pick the right type of lamp. Night lights with a blue or white glow are an instant no-go – they trick the brain into thinking it’s daytime, and hamper the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Warmer, muted colors closer to sunset shades, like amber and red, on the other hand, have been associated with helping individuals, kids and adults alike, sleep better – as long as, of course, they’re not so bright that we can sense the lights even with our eyes closed. And if there’s any night light that fits all these bills perfectly, we’d have to say it’s a Himalayan salt lamp.
Available in both plug-in and standalone designs, these lamps are popularly available in oranges or pinks, and when lit give off a warm but muted glow, just enough to illuminate the place without being so stark or bright as to be disruptive to your baby’s sleep. While claims that these salt lamps can completely neutralize ‘electro-smog’ and purify the air might be a bit far-fetched (considering night lights tend to be smaller than their bigger lamp counterparts and definitely nowhere near as effective as a salt cave or a trip to the beach), that is not to say they can’t make a difference as natural de-humidifiers and negative ioniziers. Intrigued? Take a look at our picks for the best Himalayan salt lamp for nurseries.
While claims that these salt lamps can completely neutralize ‘electro-smog’ and purify the air might be a bit far-fetched (considering night lights tend to be smaller than their bigger lamp counterparts and definitely nowhere near as effective as a salt cave or a trip to the beach), that is not to say they can’t make a difference as natural de-humidifiers and negative ioniziers. Intrigued? Take a look at our picks for the best Himalayan salt lamp for nurseries.
KEN’S PICK
Himalayan Glow Salt Lamp
There are plenty of adorable night light options for our little ones to have in their nurseries, but there’s no denying the wholesomeness of a natural Himalayan salt lamp, and it’s more than just the psychological reassurance of believing we’ve made the ‘green’ choice for our babies. These pinkish-orange lamps naturally emanate a soft, warm glow that’s just right to soothe your baby to sleep, not disrupting their sleep cycles when you’re using this light by your nursing chair or the diaper changing station. Also great for toddlers who get anxious in complete darkness, this plug-in option is the right size to illuminate a room at bedtime just enough to take the edge off the darkness without being too bright to notice when you’re trying to drift off.
These salt lamps are also hygroscopic, so don’t be alarmed if you find them sweating – they absorb water from the surrounding environment, particularly useful if your home tends to get humid, since getting airborne moisture under control keeps mold and mildew on the down-low and helps prevent respiratory diseases and colds. Also natural negative ionizers, when lit these lamps release negative ions which bond with harmful positive ions generated from technology and contaminants like dust, neutralizing them and leaving a healthy, calming and rejuvenating environment behind. While it may be a far stretch to claim that a single plug-in night lamp can capably neutralize all the positive ions floating around the room, or get rid of all allergens, it does have some effectiveness, and is certainly a healthier and more versatile option than a regular night light or lamp.
KEN’S BUDGET PICK
Syntus Himalayan Salt Lamp
Excavated from the natural salt mines of Pakistan, these two-pin, plug-in night lights are just low-profile enough to help us drift off to blissful sleep without disrupting our melatonin cycles, but also gorgeous additions to any room with their natural, unique pink-orange hues. Cordless, these are great lamps to have on in your child’s nursery for those midnight check-up sessions where you want to tip-toe in and make sure your baby is soundly snoozing without tripping on anything or starting them awake. Large enough to be more than a miniature lamp but still small enough to be stably plugged in without any additional support, the cylindrical shape of the salt lamp can complement any interior space, best located next to your diaper changing or nursing stations and/or electronic devices, to help neutralize some of the positive ions the latter release. The salt lamp also helps keep the humidity in the room in check, useful for keeping the proliferation of allergens and pathogens breeding in your child’s room on the down-low.
RUNNER-UP
Greenco Natural Himalayan Rock Salt Lamp
Another stand-up lamp, this option also comes with a rosewood base to keep moisture from gathering and pooling on your polished furniture, a dimmable light switch to let you control how bright you’d like your lights, and of course all the Himalayan salt goodness of negative ionization and hygroscopy. With the perfect orangey-pink hues to cast a romantic light for your indoor spaces or soothe you to sleep, this lamp is another handy option to keep in your child’s room to help keep down the allergens and contaminants which might otherwise plague your kids. Because of its corded feature, it’s also a good option if you’re looking for more flexibility in placement, rather than being restricted to the places on your walls where you have sockets. The classically rustic style also makes this a lamp you won’t have to fear your kids outgrowing.