General Health Information

Despite their optimistic name, positive ions do not make people feel
good. In fact, scientific studies have found that positive ions are
linked with depression. If children are spending most of their waking
hours in front of television and computer monitors, which inundate them
with positive ion emissions, what will the long-term effect of positive
ion exposure be on our kids?

Anxiety,depression, stress and fatigue have all been linked to
positive ion exposure. Links have also been found between positive ions
and various inflammatory diseases. Almost all toxins found in the air
that surround us, like pollen, chemicals, pet dander, dust, viruses and
bacteria, are all positively charged particles (Barry, 1995).

One of the biggest culprits of positive ion pollution is found in
virtually every home and office, the computer monitor. Televisions are
also high on the list of positive ion emitters. Computers have long
been associated with eye strain, carpal tunnel tendonitis and
migraines, but recent evidence shows that the effects of frequent
computer use also is linked with something more subtle - clinical
depression.

The basic fact of ions is that negative ions are attracted to the
screen and positive ions are attracted to the user. This is one
explanation of the disorders associated with computer and television
use. Unfortunately, both the school house and the workplace are
increasingly reliant on computers as a way of life.

It’s common sense that depression lowers job performance and
productivity. Since children today have no recollection of life without
computers, what does this say about their psychological well-being? Are
our children being bombarded with positive ions that will bring them
long-term clinical depression?

Children today are almost always either watching television, playing
video games, or on the computer. What does the connection between
monitors and televisions, positive ions and depression mean for their
future? The answer is still unclear. But, if the average American child
is spending six and a half hours a day, seven days a week, using
electronic media (Edwards, 2005), it is certainly worthwhile to
consider the connection between technology and depression.

One solution that many schools and business have been investigating is
negative ion technology. Negative ions occur naturally in waterfalls
and after storms. This is why the air becomes pure and refreshing near
a waterfall or in the moments after a storm. Negative ions have been
shown to help overcome depression in a variety of studies.

A purification system introduces negative ions into the air. These ions
fill the room, causing more oxygen to flow to the brain. With more
oxygen comes better moods and increased productivity. A classroom
filled with negative ions is a productive one. Negative ions have been
shown to positively affect classroom performance in both learning
disabled and normal-achieving students (Morton, 1989).

Studies have yet to determine the long-term benefits of negative ions.
But in a world saturated with computer monitors and televisions, a
blast of them can surely lift your mood when you need it the most.
Let’s hope that they can help our children.