Guest article provided by: synserahomes.co.uk
Do you love to have lots of plants in your home? Most of us instinctively feel that plants make us feel better, but why is that? What are the benefits of plants and how can they help with both your physical and mental health? Read on to find out…
Why do plants make you feel happier?
- Reduce anxiety
Houseplants have been shown to reduce anxiety. Experts have suggested that this may be due to the calming nature of the colour green, the aromatherapy benefits of certain plant scents, or the emotional satisfaction of caring for another living thing. Jasmine and lavender in particular have been shown to help reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure and help you sleep better. - Connect with nature
Bringing the outside in can help you feel more connected to the natural world around you. That’s why biophilic interior design (a way of creating a natural aesthetic, considering multiple senses), which incorporates house plants, can support your mental health and wellbeing. - Help you to focus and get more done
A study at Exeter University found that adding plants to a space that was previously barren “served to increase productivity by 15%. Another study proved that plants can help you concentrate. With many of us now working from home, being productive and able to concentrate is important for our wellbeing. It helps to keep us motivated and feel accomplished.
Can having plants in your home make you healthier?
- Boost your immune system with plants
Plants can help to prevent illness and speed recovery. In fact, The RHS reveals that hospital patients with plants in their rooms “reported decreased post-operative pain”. - Improve air quality
You can use plants to improve the quality of air in your home. Science Daily explains that plants “absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen… they increase humidity… and they can passively absorb pollutants on the external surfaces of leaves and on the plant root-soil system”. Filling your home with plants is a great way of replicating the benefits of taking a walk in nature and getting plenty of fresh air. - Fight depression
Plants can help boost your mood and combat depression by reducing stress, aiding sleep and offering a kind of therapy through routine and care. What’s more, Forbes shares that when you disturb the soil of your house plants, microscopic soil bacteria are able to enter your system. These “generate serotonin and dopamine, which both produce a feeling of happiness”.
Of course, the benefits of having plants in tour home are interrelated. The mental and physical health benefits work together to support you. When you feel physically well, you are more likely to be in a good state of mental health. Likewise, if you are feeling good mentally and emotionally, this will positively impact your physical health.
Plants are therefore an important and holistic way to support your wellbeing, helping to make you both happier and healthier.
This guest post was written by Gude Hudson-Gool of Synsera Homes.
Gude writes from her sofa, usually with a steaming hot cuppa. In her spare time, she enjoys paper-folding (origami) and yoga. She used the extra time gained from anxiety-induced insomnia at the start of 2020 to write a book about how to stay sane during lockdown (it was the best kind of therapy).