It will come as no surprise that plenty of fresh air and regular exercise is a great way to boost not only your physical wellbeing but also your mental wellbeing – and gardening is a fantastic way to do this! But did you know that indoor gardening and houseplants can also provide benefits to improve your health & wellbeing as well? That means you can stay warm indoors and still reap the physical and mental benefits – win!
With all the benefits that houseplants can bring to your physical and mental health, you have got nothing to lose with getting some houseplants in your home and office:
How can Houseplants boost my Mental Wellbeing?
Releases happy chemicals
To have fun indoors doesn’t mean you need to be stationary, such as watching the TV or reading a book. Why not roll up your sleeves instead and begin caring for or planting more houseplants? Having an active hobby has been proven to release endorphins (the happy chemicals in your brain), which helps if you are suffering from conditions such as anxiety and depression. A fun hobby can help detract your thoughts and focus your mind elsewhere. Go on – try it!
A change of scenery
A lot of houseplants have beautiful coloured flowers which bring life to the home. Scientists have found that this boosts your mood and makes you feel happier. Also, due to the plants needing you to give it care, it makes you feel needed, which is always a great feeling!
Reduce stress
Feeling the pressure? Houseplants have been proven to reduce stress levels and keep your blood pressure lower. This as a result seems to make people more productive. Researchers found that houseplants actually increase productivity by up to 15%, so it is definitely worth a try to have some houseplants in your office.
How can houseplants improve my physical health and wellbeing?
Improved respiratory
Plants do assist with our breathing because they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. With plants increasing the amount of oxygen it creates a healthier environment to be in.
Purifying the air
Our own homes have poor indoor air quality due to furniture, carpets and even cleaning products. This poor air quality can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, breathing problems and fatigue. Indoor plants such as the Peace Lily, Boston Fern and Spider Plant can all help improve the air quality by filtering out the nasty chemicals.
Unsure of which plants can purify your home? We have put together a list of our ‘Top-ten air purifying houseplants’ to make your home a healthy environment.
Decreased pain levels
It has been reported that patients after an operation have a lot less pain if they have houseplants around them. A study showed that hospital rooms with plants in them have patients that give lower ratings to pain, anxiety and fatigue as compared to patients without plants in their rooms.
Reduces sickness
Always catching a sickness bug? Houseplants are said to reduce the chances of you catching a sickness bug too. Researchers have found that sickness rates fall more than 60% in offices with plants compared to those without.
