The Benefits of Indoor Plants to Physical and Mental Health

Houseplants make us feel better. This was evident during the long lockdown period of the pandemic where people started taking care of plants. Buying plants boomed during those days of isolation and being away from loved ones. According to a recent study about houseplant research, 72% of the participants said that houseplants make them feel happier, while 44% feel optimistic about the future despite Covid-19 impacting their lives. 

We spend almost 85% of our lives indoors even before the pandemic happened. Did you know that staying indoors can also weaken our immune system. That’s why having plants inside our homes can make us feel better.  There are many advantages to taking care of indoor plants. Aside from making our homes beautiful, it positively improves mental well-being and physical health. 

Here are a few important facts about why indoor plants help boost health and happiness:

 

Indoor plants clean indoor air. 

According to NASA’s extensive research about “closed ecological life support systems”, houseplants improve indoor air quality and remove air toxins. According to the man behind the study, environmental scientist Bill Wolverton, plants release water vapour that pulls the contaminated air to the plant’s roots where it is converted into food for the plant. 

 

Indoor plants lower stress levels and blood pressure. 

A study by the Journal of Physiological Anthropology indoor gardening and other plant-related activities such as repotting reduced the physiological and psychological stress response of the participants. There is such a thing called horticultural therapy, a professional practice involving the use of plants and gardening activities to help individuals with depression, alcoholism and other physical and mental health problems become better. 

 

Indoor plants help boost productivity.

Multiple scientific studies from 1996 up to the present have confirmed that indoor plants can boost job productivity and satisfaction. Whether you’re working from home or have recently returned to the office, decorating your workspace with bamboo palm, snake plant and other houseplant favourites can give you good vibes and help cheer up a busy day. 

 

Indoor plants fight off allergies. 

Since indoor plants are known to clean toxic air, it also helps relieve people suffering from allergies. Indoor plants such as Philodendron,  Lady Palm and Peace Lily are popular among individuals who have seasonal allergies.

• Indoor plants help us sleep better.
  Because plants have therapeutic qualities, it’ll help us sleep better at night. Some of the plants that are good in the bedroom are:
• Lavender –   Lavenders are a well-known bedroom plant that helps induce sleep. It reduces blood pressure and has a calming scent that will help put you to sleep.
• Aloe Vera – The aloe vera is the kind of plant that keeps on giving. It’s known to soothe dry skin and minor burns, it strengthens the hair and scalp, and it produces plenty of oxygen at night that purifies the air and people sleep better at night. 
• Areca Palm – Areca palms is a natural air humidifier that removes toxins in the air. 

 

Indoor plants take care of us so we should remember to take care of them too. Here are quick tips on how to care for your houseplants:

• Plants absorb the energy of light to make their food. Place them by the window where they can get enough sunlight. Move them into a shaded spot if the sun gets too harsh. And remember to water your plants regularly especially if the soil gets too dry.
• Read about the plants that you bring home. This will tell you about the requirements each plant needs. They come from different places with various weather conditions. Learn to identify which ones are poisonous or have pollen, especially with flowering plants that might trigger allergies.
• Use organic fertilisers to keep them healthy. Spring and summer are the best time to fertilise them since most plants bloom or grow during that period. Prune overgrown plants to rejuvenate them and to make way for new growth.
  

 

Spring Colours is a plant nursery located in Sydney’s Dural neighbourhood. With over 30 years of experience in garden landscaping and delivering high-quality plants to plant lovers at great prices, we are committed to making the world a greener place and adding new life to your home and garden.

Contact us to find out about our wholesale service delivery or visit our store in Dural to browse our collection of plants!