Written by Ania Tureczek, Education and Curriculum Development Intern
Which room seems like a calmer, happier environment?
Indoor plants can be wonderful decorative pieces in a home, and can bring many stress-relieving benefits as well. Here are ways houseplants can help, along with some recommendations for which kinds are best to achieve that goal!
• Interacting with indoor plants can reduce stress
Similar to pets, interacting with other living things like plants brings joy! While plants are wonderful to look at, active interaction with them can bring additional stress-relieving benefits. Through watering or changing the soil, the action of touching a plant and taking care of it has been shown to lower blood pressure levels and promote feelings of comfort.
• Plants bring peace through our eyes and noses
Studies have shown that 20 minutes in the presence of plants is all it takes to feel more peaceful. Not just the sight, but the smells too! Some wonderfully fragrant houseplants include lavender, mint, hoya, and lily of the valley.
• Restorative (of positive emotions!)
The presence of plants can help spark productivity and creativity by restoring our attention.
Some studies have shown having a plant within 10 feet of you can increase the positive emotions you feel! Studies have shown that any plants, real or artificial, can bring about these benefits, though real ones can have a greater mood boosting effect.
• Healthier Air Quality
You may know that trees are beloved because of the oxygen they provide. Though to a smaller extent, indoor plants can bring similar air quality benefits! Some of the most effective species of houseplants for this are bamboo palms, spider plants, and ficus trees.
Yucca plants are especially known for their air filtration capabilities.
• Bring the outside in!
Most of modern life is spent in buildings, indoors. You go from home to work to school, to the store, chances are your interaction with the outdoors in day-to-day life might only be going from one building to the next. A great way to get more of those outdoor benefits is by bringing plants indoors! Brighten up your workspace or living room with some indoor trees that make great houseplants like parlor palms and weeping fig trees.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4419447/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/06/06/how-houseplants-can-boost-your-mood/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/06/06/how-houseplants-can-boost-your-mood/
https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-home-guide/benefits-of-indoor-plants#7-benefits
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