“Exposure to negative ions is thought to increase our levels of serotonin – helping to alleviate stress as well as boost mood and energy. Negative ions also improve sleep quality as they contain high levels of oxygen ions, so breathing negative ions has multiple positive benefits to human health.”

He explains that when negative ions collide with any impurities in the air such as pollutants or allergens, they attach, destroy or “demobilise it at a molecular level, thus purifying the air and the surfaces inside an indoor space”.

A 2018 review showed promise for negative ions’ abilities to remove pollutants from the air, while a recent study on a negative ion air purifier from Vitale’s company showed that it reduced airborne pathogens like bacteria, viruses and mould spores.

Do Himalayan salt lamps have any health benefits, or do they just look pretty