Top 7 Benefits of Indoor Plants Backed by Science.

There is nothing more beautiful and relaxing than lush flowers and houseplants in our homes and offices. Just add light and water, and bringing plants into your home is aesthetically pleasing. Surprisingly, plants can also offer great health benefits!

Numerous studies show that houseplants keep you healthy and happy, and offer physical and psychological health benefits.

7 benefits of indoor plants.

Many people enjoy living and working in cultivated green spaces, and most like to have beautiful plants around them. But is there more? Here are seven benefits that science says houseplants can provide.

1. Indoor plants can help reduce stress levels.

A Trusted Source study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that plants in your home or office can make you feel more comfortable, calm, and natural.

In the study, participants were given two different tasks: transplant a houseplant or complete a short computer-based task. After each task, the researchers measured biological factors associated with stress, including heart rate and blood pressure.

They found that the indoor gardening task reduced the stress response in the participants. The computer task, on the other hand, caused an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, even though the study participants were young men well accustomed to computerized work.

The researchers concluded that working with plants could reduce physiological and psychological stress.

2. Real plants can sharpen your attention.

Sorry, plastic plants won't help you pass your exams. In a small study involving 23 participants, researchers put students in a classroom with a fake plant, a real plant, a photograph of a plant, or no plant at all.

The brain scans of the participants showed that the students who studied with real live plants in the classroom were more attentive and could concentrate better than the students in the other groups.

3. Working with plants can be therapeutic.

For people experiencing symptoms of mental illness, indoor gardening can be helpful.

Trusted Source researchers have used garden therapy to increase feelings of well-being in people with depression, anxiety, dementia, and other conditions.

Although horticultural therapy has been around for centuries, it has found a modern version: Medical clinics in Manchester, England now prescribe horticultural plants for patients with symptoms of depression or anxiety.

4. Plants can help you recover faster from illness.

Being able to see plants and flowers can speed your recovery from illness, injury, or surgery.

A 2002 research review found that people recovering from many types of surgery needed fewer pain relievers and had a shorter hospital stay than those who ate vegetables during recovery. They weren't looking

It is important to note that most research focuses on plants and natural landscapes in hospital settings rather than in the home.

5. Plants can increase your productivity.

A bromeliad may be the best cubicle companion you've ever had.

Multiple studies have found that plants in the workspace increase both productivity and creativity. One frequently cited a 1996 study that found students in a campus computer lab worked 12 percent faster and were less stressed when plants were nearby.

In a 2004 study by Trusted Sources, researchers challenged people to make creative word associations. They performed better when there was a plant in the room with them.

And a 2007 study showed that people with more plants in their workspace got sick less often and were more productive at work.

6. Plants can improve your entire outlook on work.

A view of the city park could improve anyone's job satisfaction, but you might be surprised to learn that a potted plant could have a similar effect.

Trusted Source researchers interviewed more than 440 Amazon employees in India and the United States. They found that those whose office environment included natural elements, such as houseplants, felt higher job satisfaction and greater commitment to the organization than those who did not work with natural elements.

The researchers said the natural elements helped buffer the effects of stress and anxiety at work.

7. Plants can improve indoor air quality.

Scientific support for phytoremediation, which is the term plants use to clean pollutants from the air, generally dates back to a NASA study in the 1980s.

The researchers then looked at ways to improve air quality in a sealed spacecraft and concluded that houseplant roots and soil absorbed volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air. Significantly reduced.

Recent findings suggest that it would need to support a larger number of plants to match the air-cleaning performance of modern biofilters and other technologies.

Choose indoor plant varieties that are safe for pets and children.

It is almost impossible to find a complete list of toxic plants because some plants have parts that are poisonous and others that are perfectly safe.

Before bringing a new plant home where children or pets might get it, check with a trusted source to make sure it's safe. Your state extension service and poison control office may publish a list of toxic plants in your region.

Health considerations to keep in mind.

Having plants in your home or office (or your home office) confers many benefits, but it also comes with some risks. Keep this in mind when deciding if you want an indoor garden.

Be alert to pest infestations.

Houseplants can function as Trojan horses for bugs, mold, and other pests.

If you're repotting a plant, it's not a good idea to use soil from your garden to do it.

When selecting plants, pay attention to the watering needs of each species, as overwatering can create ideal conditions for mold and mildew growth.

Be sure to check the leaves for signs of pests (eggs, webs, holes) so you can nip an infestation in the bud.