The Benefits Of Indoor Plants On Health And Productivity
Plants enhance aesthetics in spaces, and some even fill the air with a good fragrance, but that’s not all that they’re good for. According to research findings on ScienceAlert, having plants indoors can improve air quality by removing nitrogen dioxide from the atmosphere. It’s worth noting that nitrogen dioxide is a toxic pollutant generated from burning fuels and it’s a leading cause of respiratory diseases. With that in mind, start indoor gardening if you don’t have greenery in your home or office.
Apart from making your space more inviting, adding plants is one of the best ways to improve productivity in the workplace and at home. The sight of greenery makes you feel relaxed, thus boosting your mood, focus, and memory. Keep reading to understand the benefits of indoor plants on your health and productivity levels.
Plants Boost Concentration and Memory
Working near plants at home or in the workplace helps you concentrate better, which translates to greater accuracy and higher productivity levels. That’s because spending time in nature or being around plants can boost memory retention by up to 20%, based on a study by the University of Michigan. So, how do plants boost memory and overall brain health? It’s worth noting that insufficient supply of oxygen, especially in indoor environments, is a leading cause of brain fatigue or brain fog.
Since plants release oxygen into the atmosphere and take in carbon dioxide, having them in a room not only purifies the air, but it also increases oxygen circulation. Not to mention plants catch our attention in a unique and more organic way, especially the many different air plants, which can grow from nothing. Staring at leaves or flowers, for example, helps you enjoy a more focused break than you would when gazing at your laptop or smartphone.
Indoor Plants Speed Up the Healing Process
Because the brain equates vegetation life to calmness, being near green plants and colorful flowers helps patients heal faster. The deep green of leaves, for instance, gives the mind a comforting sense of calm and positivity, while bright colors like yellow and red boost happiness. Some plants even have soothing scents that ease pain. Others have medicinal properties that heal different health conditions when ingested as a tea or salad.
Healing plants worth bringing indoors are lavender, mint, lemon balm, aloe vera, moringa, rosemary, and thyme. Besides choosing small flowering plants or herbs to add to your interiors, you may also want to add potted trees. Having trees indoors is now a trend, as they have a therapeutic effect. You can gaze at your indoor tree or even meditate beside it to feel better. Indoor trees can also give you a motivational boost and purify the air.
Plants Help You Practice Mindfulness
While everyone knows the importance of slowing down and practicing mindfulness, it seems easy to indulge in work and forget about overall well being. There are several ways caring for plants boost mindfulness, hence improving your mental health. For example, creating a schedule to water, weed, and fertilize plants helps you focus on issues that you can control. Indoor gardening also allows you to connect with nature and creates a relaxing space to meditate.
In a world where everyone leads a busy lifestyle and spends most hours indoors, incorporating plants in interior spaces is crucial. Apart from boosting aesthetic appeal, indoor plants improve health and productivity at home and in the workplace. Working near houseplants helps enhance your memory retention, creates room to practice mindfulness, boost creativity, and speeds up healing.
