Research indicates that houseplants can contribute significantly to reducing stress levels in indoor environments. They are ideal for improving air quality by filtering harmful toxins while increasing humidity. More importantly, tending and watching plants grow have calming effects that can alleviate everyday stress. Just the mere presence of greenery can help instill a sense of peace, safety, and serenity.
Indoor plants are not simply decor items. Their beneficial impact on psychological health stems from biophilia – human’s ingrained affinity for the natural world. Biophilia explains why we feel better and more relaxed when we are surrounded by nature.
Let’s delve deeper into how indoor plants can help reduce stress and improve our well-being.
Reducing Stress and Enhancing Mood
Plants possess a unique calming effect: According to research studies published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, interacting with indoor plants, such as touching and smelling, can reduce physiological and psychological stress.
Moreover, a 2010 study by the new University of Technology, Sydney, found a significant decrease in stress among people when plants were added to their workspace. Results revealed that indoor plants contribute to a decrease in feelings of tension, anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion.
Improving Air Quality
Indoor air pollutants are ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health. They come from sources that release gases or particles into the air, such as building materials, cleaning products, electronic devices, and even outdoor air pollution making its way inside.
Plants can play a crucial role in improving indoor air quality. NASA’s Clean Air Study found that houseplants can remove up to 87% of air toxins in 24 hours. They can filter harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene.
Certain plants, such as snake plants and palm trees, are particularly effective in reducing carbon dioxide levels in the home. Additionally, the moisture released by these plants helps to increase humidity and decrease dust in the house.
Promoting Mindfulness and Presence
Taking care of indoor plants requires some degree of attention and care – watering, pruning, fertilizing, and ensuring the plant is receiving adequate light. These activities promote mindfulness and keep you present, diverting your mind away from stressors and towards the singular task at hand.
Green Spaces Facilitate Relaxation and Comfort
The color green is known to be relaxing to the eyes and can help calm the mind. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology reported participants’ mood improved significantly after a short exposure to a green, plant-filled room compared to a room without any plants.
More than just their soothing color, indoor plants create a comforting environment, one that we are genetically predisposed to feel safe in, owing to our species’ long history of dependence on natural resources.
Now that the benefits are clear, here are some stress-busting plants you can consider for your living space.
1. Aloe Vera: Known for its health and skin benefits, Aloe Vera is also an excellent air purifier. It’s easy to care for and can help remove chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene from the air.
2. Lavender: Lavender’s calming scent can reduce stress, anxiety, and possibly even slow heart rate. It works best in bright windows.
3. English Ivy: According to NASA’s study, this plant is the best air-purifying plant. It’s also known to improve symptoms of allergies or asthma.
4. Snake Plant: Snake Plant is perfect for beginners as it needs minimal care. It purifies the air by removing toxins like trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, and xylene.
5. Philodendron: They are effective in purifying the air and are easy to care for, making them perfect for novice plant owners.
6. Bamboo Palm: They add a touch of exotic elegance to any room while efficiently filtering out both benzene and trichloroethylene.
7. Peace Lily: This pretty plant can filter out harmful toxins like acetone, ammonia, benzene, ethyl acetate, and xylene in your home.
Selecting any of these plants will offer double-barreled benefits – an aesthetic enhancement to your indoor space and a potent, natural stress-reliant tool.
In a world where stress is nearly ubiquitous, the soothing and purifying power of houseplants can be a simple, yet effective way to improve mental well-being. Whether it’s their serene presence, air-cleaning properties, or the mindfulness their care instills, indoor plants offer a demonstrable reduction in stress. So why not embrace the leafy trend and bring a piece of nature into your home or office space?
