Sodium is the eleventh element on the periodic table. It belongs to the class of elements called the alkali metals and can be found in the first column of the periodic table. They are not normally found in their metallic state because of their highly reactive nature. Instead, they are commonly found as the +1 ions. Sodium ions (Na+) are essential to life, but only in a narrow range of concentrations. Too much Na+ can act as a laxative and cause neurologic disorders. Too little Na+ in the body can lead to muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness and eventually lead to shock, coma and death.
Sodium is used in fireworks to impart a rich, yellow color to the wonderful show that we see. Sodium can also be used in lamps to generate light with a warm, yellow color. Sodium lamps have been used for around 100 years and are were often used in movies and entertainment for their interesting visual effects. From Wikipedia: "Color negative film is typically not sensitive to the yellow light from an LPS lamp, but special black-and-white film is able to record it. Using a special camera, scenes are recorded on two spools simultaneously, one with actors (or other foreground objects) and another that becomes a mask for later combination with different background. This technique originally yielded results superior to blue-screen technology, and was used in years 1956 to 1990, mostly by Disney Studios. Notable examples of films using this technique include Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and the Disney films Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks."
Figure 1. Fireworks with sodium ions added to impart a yellow color. (Image credit: https://sciencewithkids.com/science-facts/facts-about-fireworks.html)
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Sources:
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/salt
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium-ion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-vapor_lamp