With all the changes life brings, it is important to stay grounded by making your home your own personal oasis. This month on the blog we are discussing one of the greatest ways to do this in a rented space. An idea for cultivating this kind of environment is to incorporate house plants into your home. Plants provide a number of benefits to us, both physiologically and psychologically. Here are just a few.
Air Purification
As Linda Solegato so simply put it, “plants give us oxygen for the lungs and the soul." Indoor air pollution can come from a number of sources over time, such as wall paints and laminates, and can be found in homes of any size. However, plants literally clean the air around you. According to NASA research, plants absorb and remove up to 87% of volatile organic compounds from the air every day, which they break down and store in their soil for food. They therefore help produce fresh, clean oxygen! Great air purifiers are snake plants, rubber plants, English ivy, asparagus ferns, and dragon trees.
Increased Humidity Levels
Another way that plants can help with air purification is by increasing humidity levels. When you live in a house, items such as air conditioners and furnaces can dry out the air in our homes, particularly during the winter months. It’s been shown that this can lead to us having more compromised immune systems and also dry out our skin, making it itchy. Having plants in the home adds moisture to the air, contributing to our overall well being.
Mental Health
There are many ways in which indoor plants can also have a positive effect on your mental health. One way is through boosting positive emotions. Researchers in the United Kingdom, for example, found that people who live around nature feel much happier than those that don't. It’s also clear that taking care of plants is an example of a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness practices keep you grounded within the present moment, which can radically improve your stress levels. Whether you are potting for the first time or just watering plants every day, there’s something about the repetitive routine which is mindful and calming, therefore contributing to a positive change in mental health.
Productivity
Finally, having house plants can lead to greater productivity. Some studies have shown that employee productivity can increase by 15%, so you’re more likely to keep on track if you are still working from home, regardless of the many distractions around you.
So as you can see, there are many benefits to incorporating plants into your home. As Joen Beirne, a horticultural therapy instructor at the New York Botanical Garden, has said, “We evolved on earth amongst the grasslands surrounded by trees and plants. It is no wonder they make us feel at home."