Do you remember the salt lamp trend a few years ago? It felt like every remotely health-conscious person was adding a sea salt lamp to their living room and bedroom. It wasn’t just because the lamps provided cozy lighting, but also because they wanted the air-cleansing benefits of Himalayan salt. Unfortunately, a small lamp isn’t powerful enough to do anything for all the hipsters. Salt therapy, also known as halotherapy, is a technique folks are using to really tackle a wider range of health issues by sitting in a room filled with salt particles.
I’d heard that salt therapy can help in recovery from respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, Covid-19, and everyday asthma and allergy flares. It also helps treat irritating skin conditions like eczema, as well as reduce stress and promote better sleep. Since I’m a sleep-deprived asthmatic with skin and environmental allergies, I thought it was time to give this a try.
Where I went
I headed to North Richland Hills to Salti Salt Spa, a nurse practitioner-run med spa that made the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s favorites list last year. Booking in advance online is encouraged, but I risked it on a weekday afternoon and arrived unannounced. There are three different rooms: a large room that accommodates five people, a smaller one for two people, and a kids’ playroom. Due to a previous booking of the smaller room, I ended up in the large one, a starlit room with leather loungers and soft blankets surrounded in a sea of pink salt. Salt particles are blown into the air from a machine on the side of the room. Soothing music played, and I had 40 minutes to sleep, think, or really do whatever.
In the salt room
Instantly, I felt a slight tingle in my nostrils, and my sinuses began to open. Luckily, I had brought tissues with me because I started to drain. I was too hyped up on a coffee from earlier to sleep, but I cozied up with a blanket and opened my laptop to work. (Hey, these newsletters have to get done no matter what!) When my time was up, the friendly front desk woman, Sarah, cracked open the door and rang a small bell softly. She told me that sometimes people are sleeping so hard she has to go all the way in and shake them awake. I emerged feeling relaxed and refreshed, but the real test was over the next 24 hours.
24 hours later
I can report that I slept deeply, which is a rare occasion lately. My skin feels softer and more moisturized, and I feel like I’m finally moving past a weeklong allergy flare. Like with any therapy, consistency renders better, more far-reaching results, but I’m glad I experienced a difference after only one visit. The session was $40, and Salti has packages that make it even cheaper, including memberships that offer unlimited access. Also, Salti isn’t the only salt room in DFW; there are more than you’d think. The next time you’re under the weather or have major stress keeping you up at night, would you consider trying salt therapy?
Don’t Sleep On is a weekly series in the COURIER DFW newsletter where I shout out DFW events and businesses I think you should try. Have a suggestion? Write in.
