There’s something in the air that just may boost your mood — get a whiff of NEGATIVE IONS.
Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, and invisible molecules that we inhale in abundance in certain environments, such as mountains, waterfalls, and beaches. Once they reach our bloodstream, negative ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy.
And these are a few of the reasons we see negative ion products being sold in stores and all over the Internet.
Ions 101
Ions are molecules that have gained or lost an electrical charge. They are created in nature as air molecules break apart due to sunlight, radiation, and moving air and water. You may have experienced the power of negative ions when you walk on the beach or stood underneath a waterfall. While part of the euphoria is being around these wondrous settings, the air circulating in the mountains and the beach is said to contain tens of thousands of negative ions — Much more than the average home or office building.
“The action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods,” says ion researcher Michael Terman, PhD, of Columbia University in New York.
Columbia University studies of people with winter and chronic depression show that negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants. “The best part is that there are relatively no side effects, but we still need to figure out appropriate doses and which people it works best on,” he says.
Vitamins of the Air?
Negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy,” says Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.
“They also may protect against germs in the air, resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have a throat irritation.”
And for a whopping one in three of us who are sensitive to their effects, negative ions can make us feel like we are walking on air. You are one of them if you feel instantly refreshed the moment you open a window and breathe in fresh, humid air.
“You may be one of them if you feel sleepy when you are around an air-conditioner, but feel immediately refreshed and invigorated when you step outside or roll down the car window,” Howard says. “Air conditioning depletes the atmosphere of negative ions, but an ion generator re-releases the ions that air conditioners remove.”
Ions On The Move
Now with the emergence of negative ion products such as sports bands, fashionable bracelets, shoe inserts, and more, you can have the effects of negative ions wherever you go – by wearing them.
You can purchase negative ion sports bands and bracelets at either of our offices.