Many people will name beaches, mountains or waterfalls as the natural habitats where they feel most at peace. It is easy to chalk this up to beautiful surroundings, but scientists think they’ve found another answer – negative ions.
Negative ions are invisible molecules that have been charged with electricity, and they can be found in large amounts in the air in certain environments. They are completely imperceptible to humans, but when inhaled, they produce a biochemical reaction in the bloodstream that some researchers believe have a number of positive effects.
This explains why people feel a wave of relaxation, or even euphoria, in these locations. The air circulating near waterfalls, in the mountains, or on the beach, is charged with tens of thousands of these negative ions. Meanwhile, indoor environments such as your home or office have far less – in some cases none at all.
In nature, negative ions are created in several ways, such as:
Whilst advocates of negative ionisation believe that an ionised atmosphere can do everything from curing depression to lowering blood pressure, there is still not enough research available to substantiate all of these claims.
Research to date has, however, unequivocally been able to prove that exposure to negative ions:
It is posited, but still not incontrovertibly proven that negative ions are responsible for:
A 2013 study of scientific literature on negative ionization was not able to ascertain a link between ionisation and mental health in general – but was able to note a consistent effect on people suffering from depression.
This study showed that high levels of exposure to negative ions (exposure over a period of several hours) caused people with depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) to record significantly better scores on their depression symptoms surveys.
The study also found that just a short amount of time exposed to negative ions was enough to positively affect people diagnosed with SAD.
A later study of ionisation literature, catalogued in 2018 and taking into account 100 years of studies, was able to better understand how negative ions work across the entire breadth of human health.
This study concluded that negative ionisation was able to:
Whilst all of this sounds positive, why would people go to the trouble of buying and installing an ioniser in their home or office, as opposed to just, say, opening a window or buying some plants?
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, believes that increased negative ions can help human beings to function better, in the environments where they spend the most time. “Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy,” he says.
“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.”
Whilst not everyone is susceptible to the effects of negative ions, at least one in three of us is, and for these people the lift in mood and energy can be hugely beneficial.
Mr Howard, speaking to WebMD, explains how you can tell if you are sensitive to ions, and why an office ioniser is a better choice than an air conditioner.
“You may be [affected by ions] 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,” he said.
Howard added: “Air conditioning depletes the atmosphere of negative ions, but an ion generator re-releases the ions that air conditioners remove.”
As mentioned above, an ioniser is useful for boosting the mood, mental health and even sleep patterns of some people. However this is not the only reason that the Airius PureAir incorporates ionisation in order to purify the air.
Ionisers are able to purify both air and surfaces of harmful pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, dust, pet dander, pollen and mould, amongst others. Using the latest in Photohydroionisation (PHI) Cell technology from RGF Environmental, one of the worlds leading specialists in air, water and food purification, the PureAir efficiently neutralises up to 99% of all harmful airborne contaminants.
Most air ionisers use electricity to create negative ions, releasing them into the air so that they can attach to positively charged particles such as bacteria, mould, dust and allergens. These positive ions bond firmly with the negative ions (in the same way that a magnet works), forming much more dense particles that are then too heavy to hang in the air. These heavier particles fall to the ground or onto surfaces where they can be removed by dusting, vacuuming and mopping.
The Airius PureAir takes this process a step further, emitting ‘Ionised Hydroperoxides’ from the integrated PHI Cell. These effectively bond with the positive molecules and destroy the bacteria at the same time, meaning that there is no harmful element left on surfaces or the ground when taken from the air.
For those worried about specific viruses, bacterias and mould spores, this creates more confidence in your home or office environment. Not only this, but the PureAir System works 24/7 to circulate this clean air throughout the environment, so the air is cleaner, healthier, and more beneficial to the human beings residing there.
Why not get in touch with us by calling 01202 554 200 or sending us an email at info@airius.co.uk to find out about our range of PHI fans could help you.
