Children and adults alike struggle with behavioral outbursts and mood dysregulation from time to time. We experienced our share of that when raising our children. Curiously, at a certain point I noticed that after taking a shower their entire affect would resolve even if there had been emotional intensity just before. Was it like the proverbial bucket of water dumped over the head of someone who is being nonsensical? The effect seems to be related to negative ions, and if you’re ever feeling a little “off” a shower is a great place to start.
Negative ions are molecules that are charged with electricity. It’s this charge that gives is vitality, prana as it’s known in yogic traditions, Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), or life force energy. These ionic charges are essential to life and when absent life is depleted. This is very well described in the text of Swara Yoga: The Tantric Science of Brain Breathing by Swami Muktibodhananda in the following excerpt:
The presence of positive and negative ions ultimately affects the entire body mechanism. They influence the nervous system, rate of digestion, and regulation of the endocrine system, which in turn influences the way we think and respond to certain situations in life.
He goes on to describe the natural abundance of negative ions in nature; in forests, and near moving water like waterfalls, rivers, and crashing waves. The “breath of fresh air” that we experience when we get into nature comes from the electric charge of the negative ions. It has the potential to revive us in the same was as jumper cables revive a dead battery of a car. When we are surrounded by negative ions, they literally enter the blood stream and recharge the system.
It’s not just the yogis that offer us this knowledge, scientific research and conventional medicine recognize that exposure to negative ions reduces symptoms of depression, supports cognitive performance, and potentially boost immunity by encouraging antimicrobial activity. Pretty much everyone is in agreement at this point that depletion of negative ions and increase in positive ions in our living spaces negatively impacts physical, mental, and emotional health.
It’s a little confusing because we tend to associate negative with bad and positive with good. In the case it’s the reverse. Negative ions are the good guys and we should all be seeking them out and finding ways to incorporate them into our spaces.
Our modern living spaces tend to be deficient in negative ions largely due to electrical appliances and technology devices that dominate the space. Air-conditioning and even excessive heating, and poor air circulation further depletes negative ions. The website webmd.com informs that “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, which contain dozens or hundreds, and many register a flat zero.” That’s a pretty massive difference. And alas, they recognize that the shower is a natural ionizer that most everyone has access to, often at home.
Of course getting out in nature often for a super dose of negative ions is always a great idea and Forest Bathing is a great way to experience that. At home, it’s really about balancing the electrical charge in the space which can be done with Himalayan salt lamps, ionizer, humidifier, and even decorative fountains. It’s worth taking the time to install these especially in air-conditioned with a lot of appliances or electronics. And of course, take a shower as often as needed. Once you’ve done that, all you have to do is enjoy the benefits.
It’s important to understand something about negative ions because we are all made of energy. When unwell with sickness or fatigue, the body actually vibrates at a lower frequency, like a light that has been dimmed or that is connected to an unreliable circuit. And just like fixing the circuit better supports the light, increased exposure to negative ions can really accelerate the path to getting your own positive vibe back online.
