Can indoor plants really make you happier? Here are the science-backed health benefits of growing houseplants

Cultivating houseplants allows you to bring greenery inside your home or office. But did you know that they also offer various health benefits such as a stronger immune system and better air quality?

Below are the seven science-backed benefits of growing indoor plants.

Houseplants can improve your mental health

According to a U.K. study, individuals “who live around nature feel much happier than those that don’t.” This doesn’t mean you need to move to the countryside, though. You can also boost your mood by growing houseplants.

It’s possible that indoor plants make you happier by reminding you of the beauty of nature. It can also make you think of the countryside and open spaces. If you live in an apartment in an inner city, plants can also help you feel less boxed in.

Plants can help improve air quality since they release oxygen into the air and take in carbon dioxide (CO). Having more oxygen at home means your body works more effectively and your brain feels refreshed and more focused. Breathing in healthy air helps your body release the right types of hormones, which can support your mental health. (Related: The 4 best plants that clean your indoor air.)

If you have anxiety or depression, consider growing some indoor plants. If you’re too busy to care for most plants, low-maintenance ones like cacti can also be good for you.

Houseplants can boost your immune system

This is also linked to the mental health benefits of keeping houseplants. Getting enough sleep and being relaxed can strengthen your immune system so it can fight off bugs and viruses.

Plants have phytoncides and other airborne chemicals. Plants and trees naturally produce and emit phytoncides, and the substance helps fight off harmful insects and germs. Additionally, phytoncides help to reduce the amount of stress you feel in a day. When your stress levels go down, your immune system gets a natural boost.

Houseplants also have nutritional benefits, even if you don’t consume them like fruits and vegetables. Simply keeping them inside your living room helps spread the positive chemicals that boost the immune system.

This healing benefit of indoor plants is one reason why they’re often found inside and outside hospitals. Indoor plants have also helped patients recover from illnesses faster. Studies in Norway have revealed that illnesses drop by 60 percent in homes with indoor plants.

Houseplants can improve productivity

If you’re feeling uninspired, a flowering houseplant may be the key to getting those creative juices flowing again. Workspaces with more decorations, pictures, and plants have proven to be more productive.

Spaces lacking in any form of personalization can be demotivating and dull, and this can affect your productivity. It may even affect your mental health by making you more stressed and anxious.

Houseplants can help get rid of that feeling. A beautiful potted plant will liven up your workspace or your home while also giving you a mental boost so you can work better.

Houseplants can improve relationships

Cultivating plants helps instill a sense of compassion, which is often the case when you care for another living thing. Your empathy for plants can also result in a greater sense of compassion and empathy for other people in your life.

Some studies say that “talking” to plants can help them grow. Plants need CO that humans exhale to live while you benefit from the oxygen that plants give off. This is another symbiotic relationship that you can benefit from.

Houseplants can improve your learning abilities

This benefit is linked to better productivity levels. When you have houseplants, you will have improved focus and mental clarity so you can finish your tasks.

Studies have determined that indoor plants can increase attentiveness by a whopping 70 percent. Keep some houseplants in your office so you’ll have an easier time remembering important dates or work-related tasks.

Houseplants can improve air quality

Houseplants can boost your overall health by improving the air quality inside your home. After all, the air inside your home is worse than the air in the middle of a city. Pollutants can enter your home, but they often get trapped inside, together with any airborne bacteria and viruses the air.

Plants help improve air quality because they release airborne chemicals that can help eliminate pollutants in the air.

Research shows that plants can remove at least 87 percent of the pollutants in the air, such as very harmful chemicals. Plants can help get rid of pollutants like benzene and formaldehyde, which are both known to cause cancer.

Houseplants can add humidity to your home

Plants release almost all of the water they take in, and this is good for you since water can help improve air quality. Dry air can irritate the lungs, which can result in problems like dry mouth and heat-related illnesses. The body needs as much moisture as possible, and one way to ensure that your home stays humid is by keeping houseplants.

Boost your immune system, improve air quality, and stay happy by keeping houseplants in your home or office.

You can read more articles about the other benefits of keeping your home full of houseplants at GreenLivingNews.com.

Sources include:

EcoWatch.com

Forest-Therapy.net