A simple houseplant can do wonders for your health. And they look good too!
Did you know adding some greenery could benefit your overall health?
When you fill your home with houseplants, you’re not just adding to your home decor.
Your new greenery interacts with your body, mind and home in ways that enhance your quality of life.
We already know that spending time in nature is linked to reduced stress levels.
As well as acting as natural air purifiers, certain houseplants have been shown to reduce stress and even help you sleep better.
By introducing plants into your home you may notice an improvement in your health and happiness.
Melissa Breyer in her article 5 Benefits of Houseplants shared:
so effective are plants in helping surgery patients recover that one study recommends them as a “noninvasive, inexpensive, and effective complementary medicine for surgical patients.” Plants as medicine! The study, conducted at Kansas State University, found that viewing plants during recovery from surgery led to a significant improvement in physiologic responses as evidenced by lower systolic blood pressure, and lower ratings of pain, anxiety, and fatigue as compared to patients without plants in their rooms.
Perhaps you don’t have a “green thumb”. What then?
Here’s a handy list of fairly easy plants to care for:
-
Spider Plant – one of the easiest to care for the spider plant produces oxygen while purifying the air by absorbing carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and xylene
-
Dracaena – requires less water than most indoor plants this is one of the most effective houseplants in air purification
-
Peace Lily – a low maintenance plant which prefers the shade adding a peace lily to your home can improve your indoor air quality by as much as 60 percent
-
Boston Fern – prefers a cool place with high humidity and indirect light this plant will help rid your home of harmful air pollutants
-
Snake Plant – very forgiving plant, they can be neglected for weeks and survive, one of the most recommended plants for improving air quality
-
Aloe Vera – indirect sunlight for this one and don’t overwater – the aloe vera plant can heal cuts and burns
Research by NASA revealed that houseplants remove air toxin:
One of the NASA experiments was the BioHome, an early experiment in what the Agency called “closed ecological life support systems.” The BioHome, a tightly sealed building constructed entirely of synthetic materials, was designed as suitable for one person to live in, with a great deal of the interior occupied by houseplants. Before the houseplants were added, though, anyone entering the newly constructed facility would experience burning eyes and respiratory difficulties, two of the most common symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome. Once the plants were introduced to the environment, analysis of the air quality indicated that most of the VOCs had been removed, and the symptoms disappeared.
Begin creating a living space that is soothing to be in. You’re sure to find it rewarding when you see your plant thrive.
What are your favourite plants?
