Indoor plants do not only bring something pretty to look at into your home. They also positively impact your physical space while improving your mood and productivity.
It counters ‘Sick Building Syndrome’.
The things that we choose to have in our space affect the quality of air that we breathe. Everything from the furniture we sit on to the appliances we use and the decorations we put up slowly and gradually decomposes. This process releases chemicals (and sometimes toxins) into the air we then breathe. On top of that, we use chemicals to keep our homes clean. All of these can contribute to something called ‘Sick Building Syndrome’. When the quality of air in a space is compromised, it can lead to some health problems. These issues include allergies and flu-like symptoms, but instead of it lasting a few days, it can last for weeks, months, even years.
Indoor plants significantly reduce the number of microorganisms in the air. That means that rooms with indoor plants have fewer bacteria in the air than rooms without indoor plants. They remove ozone (an oxidant gas), formaldehyde (naturally produced by living organisms – including pets and people), toluene (found in paints, glues, and nail polish removers), and styrene (found in print cartridges, food containers, and carpet backing).
It helps you to de-stress.
Interacting with plants regulates your nervous system. It suppresses your sympathetic nervous system – the part of your nervous system that kicks in when you perceive a threat and makes you feel anxious or stressed. Handling plants also lowers your blood pressure. When you work with plants, like transplanting or watering them, your body physically relaxes. This creates a soothing effect, leaving you calmer and more comfortable.
Scientists have found that even just looking at natural scenery, including plants, flowers, and water, help you recover from stress. It promotes positive feelings while reducing negative feelings like fear, anger, and sadness. This effect can be felt within three to five minutes of looking at a plant or natural scenery.
Indoor plants help you work better.
Indoor plants boost your ability to concentrate and pay attention. It also increases your productivity. More than that, looking at natural elements reduces mental fatigue. In fact, they help you to recover from being mentally tired. When you are surrounded by artificial and man-built environments, your mind and brain are constantly in a state of directed attention and concentration. Looking at natural elements allows your brain to rest and engage with what you are looking at with fascination. This gives your brain time to rest and reset so that you can take on new tasks more effectively.
Indoor plants purify the air in your indoor space. Having plants in your living space also enhances your mood and creates a feeling of calmness. More than that, when you use plants as part of your home décor, they can help increase your focus and productivity – making them the perfect feature of a home office.
