Benefits of Negative
Ions
"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."
Negative ions are created in nature
with air molecules broken apart from sunlight,
radiation, and moving air or water. In
"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.
In a study conducted by Columbia University, 25 people with
SAD (Seasonal Affective Depression) sat in front of a
negative ion air
purifier for a half hour every morning for a month.
Half the subjects were given a low level of negative ions,
and the other half a high level. The higher level of
negative ion treatment proved to be as effective against
SAD as antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zolof, and
without the side effects of these drugs.
Negative ions are odorless tasteless molecules that are
breathed into our respiratory system. High concentrations
of negative ions can be found in nature in mountain
forests, waterfalls, and beaches where people feel
energized and invigorated, which helps relieve stress,
alleviate depression, boost energy.
Air Purifiers using Negative
Ions
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