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Studies Show Houseplants Improve Your Mental Health & Wellness

April 15, 2019

Houseplants near a couch

Plants are extremely important. News flash: plants are an essential part of our survival. Everything: food, construction materials, natural medicine, oh and that whole taking carbon dioxide and transforming it into clean oxygen. It will come as no surprise then, recent studies highlight that indoor plants have a direct impact on our mental health & wellness.

There are numerous reasons why indoor plants might improve our mental health, and an unmistakable reason is they’re preferred to smell and look at. Wallpaper and carpet have a hard time competing with living things and vibrant colors. A recent study supports this notion in its report that there is a direct correlation between the amount of care required to keep a houseplant alive and the positive psychological effect it had in its caretaker. The researched showed, those who have extended periods of time around plants tend to have healthier relationships with other people and consequently experience heightened levels of happiness.

best plants for your house 

Plants Help People...Help People

Additional research found that flowering plants provide elevated levels of happiness and therefore, having flowering houseplants around the apartment home and ay work potentially could significantly minimize stress levels. Science is science. Studies have shown that people who spend more time around houseplants are much more likely to try and help others, and often have more active social relationships. People who care for plants & animals are more likely to care for others, reaching out to their peers and creating shared bonds out of their mutual interests.

More Plants, Less Stress 

Natural aesthetic beauty is believed to have a soothing effect, and including ornamental flowering plants around the home is a great way to decrease stress and anxiety. As a result of the happiness derived from a home that has plants in it, the likelihood of suffering from stress-related depression is decreased as well. Collective research supports that by having plants in your house, you improve your mental health by activating peace and open spaces to your brain.

Houseplants Help You Remember Your Honey To-Do List

Keeping ornamental houseplants in the office increases memory retention and concentration. How? Natural environments, and the calming influence created by them, increases a person’s ability to fixate on the task at hand. Being outside or being around plants inside your home can increase memory retention close to twenty percent, a recent University of Michigan research project reported (Sewach).

Convinced? Great. Here are two ideas for great houseplants to have in your home:

best houseplants in apartment homes

Spider Plant

Spider plants are a very popular indoor botanicals, and your kids are going to like them because it has a cool name, spider plant They’re very easy to care for, and spider plants are especially good at absorbing mold or allergens from the air and are great options to use in places that are prone to dampness: bathrooms and laundry room. Spider plants are mainly easy to care for, too. Give them with bright, indirect light and it will flourish. Water it well but do not overwater, which can lead to root rot. Good for the occasionally forgetful, spider plants don't mind drying out some between waterings.

Snake Plant

A study of CO2 conversion in houseplants by Harvard University found that the snake plant is one of the greatest oxygen-producing houseplants. For those interested, ficus and pothos are the other plants included on the list. One of the greatest snake plant health benefits is snake plant's can make ongoing contribution to get rid of toxic air pollutants. Outside of CO2, it can absorb benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene; all of which are cancer-causing pollutants. The snake plant is one of the most tolerant plants out there as they can go weeks of being forgotten without losing neither shape nor healthy, vibrant look. It can thrive in environments with very low light and water. 

Notice anything with our two plants? If you have kid visitors, we’re trying to help it easier to get them excited! Who doesn't want plants named Spider and Snake?