We are in the midst of a plant craze right now…
You will see countless interiors decorated with leaves…
… hanging plants, succulents, and trees that liven up…
… every corner of the room just by scrolling through Instagram.
Is it because of the health benefits these plants offer?
Hear it from Savannah!
Oh how I love the greeneries outside my home…
Every chance that I got to get out of the house and adventure…
… I always end up lurking through the woods.
There’s some kind of magical healing happening…
… when I see nature in its natural being.
As a way to accompany myself with greeneries everyday…
I planted lots of houseplants throughout my house…
… so that after a busy day at work, I can come home…
… to a sense of nature as a relaxing time.
I bet you feel the same way!
Apparently there’s a reason people are so enamored with plants…
They offer sets of health benefits – improve your physical and mental well-being…
… in crucial ways you probably didn’t even realize existed.
Do you wonder why, in a room full of nature…
… you feel like all of your worries fade away, and you have more energy?
Here’s why…
8 Health Benefits of Indoor Plants
Table of Contents
The actual health benefits of living in lush spaces have existed…
… long before we developed a new appreciation for them.
We describe how houseplants provide health benefits in our everyday lives…
… from boosting the environment to facilitating faster healing.
Health Benefit I – You’ll breathe better air
NASA study have shown that indoor plants remove common toxins…
… and indoor pollutants, such as formaldehyde and benzene, from the air.
Study results have shown that leafy plants remove…
… more than 80 percent of six volatile organic compounds (out of eight studied)…
… in a 12-hour period, while dracaena plants remove 94 percent…
… of acetone (a pungent compound found in nail polish removers).
The air purification ability of plants depends on factors such as size of the plant, size of the indoor space, and amount of toxins in the air, but 6 to 8 medium to large plants throughout a large room should be enough to make a noticeable difference in the air quality.
Gary L. Altman, CRC, HTR, associate director of the Horticultural Therapy Program at Rutgers.
Plants do best when the leaves are kept clean and free of dust…
… and they can be taken outside occasionally to be exposed to natural sunlight to recharge.
Health Benefit II – They make any room more comfortable
Additionally, plants add color and liveliness to your home…
… while also changing the physical characteristics of the space in pleasant ways.
Shaded windows can help to moderate room temperature…
… and regulate humidity in the home, reduce noise…
… screen out unattractive areas, and increase relative humidity inside.
When you fill a room with furniture and accessories…
… take a moment to consider how you want the room…
… to feel and what plants might help you achieve that mood.
Health Benefit III – Boost your mental well-being
Another health benefit of houseplant is also in terms of your mental health…
One study found that after adding 28 plants to common areas…
… of a heart and lung rehab center in Norway, patients reported a higher level…
… of well-being four weeks afterward than patients without greenery.
We evolved on earth amongst the grasslands surrounded by trees and plants, it is no wonder they make us feel at home—for eons they have fed our bodies and our souls.
John Beirne, HTR, horticultural therapy instructor at the New York Botanical Garden and superintendent of horticulture at Willowwood Arboretum.
Health Benefit IV – You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment
A study found that residents with dementia at an assisted-living facility…
… were better able to live at home when they were given potted plants…
… and advice about how to care for them.
Researchers say this might be attributed to people’s feelings of accomplishment…
… or their closeness to their plants. (They even talked and sang to their plants)
Any time someone takes ownership in something by doing it themselves, they exude pride in accomplishment.
Gwenn Fried, manager of Horticulture Therapy at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation
Planting something inexperienced is a good way to learn how to nurture it…
… because we have every experience of nurturing.
Being able to nurture is part of the human experience and brings joy…
Therefore, you can go ahead and belt out Beyoncé…
… when you water your fern in the living room.
Health Benefit V – They’ll help you forget about stress
Taking care of plants, and tending to them, offers an opportunity…
… for you to forget about stress and troublesome things…
… that may be going on in your life, and instead focus on the present.
In addition to our physical and psychological wellbeing…
… the plant also thrives because of these cares, and grows better…
… and is better equipped to provide the health benefits.
Starting with succulents or philodendrons if you have a large window…
… that receives a lot of light is a good way…
… to get started gardening if you’re new to it.
Don’t be discouraged if a plant dies the first time you try it…
Just try again. Gardeners and horticulturists who achieve the best results…
… learn constantly from their mistakes.
Every mistake made in gardening is a lesson to be learned…
Health Benefit VI – Your productivity may soar
You might be giving your coworker a brain boost at work by having a succulent on her desk…
A study conducted by the University of Exeter found that productivity increased by 15 percent…
… after plants were introduced to an otherwise bare office.
Historically (and still today), plants were crucial to human survival…
In today’s society, we can observe that this inherent connection to them…
… is manifested in overall reductions in stress and improved calmness…
… and wellbeing, which, in turn, affects one’s ability to be creative and focus on tasks.
A study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology…
… found that college students who performed cognitively demanding tasks…
… in an office with greenery had a longer attention span…
… than those who did so in an office without plants.
Health Benefit VII – They help promote healing
The close relationship between humans and plants…
… also helps us to recover more quickly from illnesses or injuries.
With the help of plants, we can create a kind of natural sanctuary…
… both for ourselves and for others to feel reassured and protected.
A study at Kansas State University has found that patients…
… with plants in their room required less pain medication…
… had a lower heart rate and blood pressure…
… and experienced less anxiety and fatigue when recovering…
… from surgery than those without greenery in their rooms.
There are even some plants that have physical healing properties…
Among other things, aloe vera can alleviate sunburn and other skin irritations…
Health Benefit VIII – Plants can even enhance therapeutic care
In similar fashion, growing plants and caring for them can be an important part…
… of formal recovery processes with horticultural therapists.
A horticulture therapy involves using plants as part of a well-organized recovery…
… and wellness treatment plan, which involves professionals creating…
… and setting measurable goals for the person receiving treatment to accomplish.
The treatment team will determine the goals that will eventually…
… help the person overcome obstacles, difficulties, or problems.
The American Horticultural Therapy Association notes that…
… the modality is useful for psychological problems (like PTSD)…
… physical problems (like regaining lost skills), and even vocational problems (problem solving, for instance).
You should think about all the health benefits your plants are giving you…
… next time you complain about having to water them!
To sum it up…
Yes, your choice of having houseplants is a great one…
Why? Because houseplants provide you with the health benefits…
… including better air quality, less stress, and improved productivity.
As long as you love your plants…
… they will treat you in exchange!
Conclusion
Have yourself a houseplant and give us your review…
… on the health benefits you experience with them.
Comment down below for further queries…
… or contact us for personal engagements!
Have and awesome gardening journey!
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