You might be asking yourself why you should put the time and energy into getting a plant. Well, the answer is that they’ll make you happier and healthier! There’s studies to back that up too.
Our pretty friends breathe in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which eliminates harmful toxins such as formaldehyde, fine particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen, sulfur oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A study done by Sydney’s University of Technology (SUT), explains that indoor air is always more polluted than outdoor air. Surprising, right? Apparently indoor air collides with pollutants from indoor sources such as VOCs emitted from plastics and synthetics found in furniture, paints, solvents and computers. There’s good news though. Research found that having three to six plants in an office keeps VOC levels far below the recommended amount.
Research by NASA demonstrates that houseplants can remove up to 87 percent of air toxin in less than 24 hours. While NASA’s Clean Air Study from 1989 supports this, it was done in a highly controlled space, so your home would need about 680 plants to reach the same effect. With that being said, living green plants can still provide mild detoxification to a room. The SUT study found that plants reduced carbon dioxide levels by 10%.
Plants can make you feel healthier too. They increase humidity in the air and can filter airborne microbes that’ll irritate your sense. This drops your risk for fatigue by 30%, itchy eyes, runny nose and dry throat by 20% and decreases your perceptions of pain by 25%. Who knew common house plants could do so much.
Have you ever walked into a room filled to the brim with plants and felt instantly calmer and more at peace? I do it every time I come home. There’s a reason for this calming effect. The plants! Studies show that having flowers around the home or office “greatly improves people’s moods and reduces the likelihood of stress-related depression.” Natural aesthetic beauty relaxes people whether they realize it or not.
People that love plants love others better too. Research shows people that take care of plants are more likely to have better relationships with others because they have higher levels of compassion. They are more likely to care for others and to reach out and form stronger bonds. Many studies sum it up by saying, “Extended exposure to nature and wildlife increases people’s compassion for each other as it increases people’s compassion for the environment in which they live.”
Just one more thing. Plants help our mental health. People that spend more time in nature have a significantly more positive outlook on life than those that stay indoors. They feel less stressed due to taking care of their plants. Studies show that plants soothe human beings and give us an outlet to channel our stress into nurturing.
So if you can’t spend all of your time outdoors, why not bring the outdoors to you? Having plants around brings life into each and every room. Seeing greenery and nature calms and soothes us, and can even make us more compassionate. They’re a breath of fresh air!
Now that you know about all of the benefits of plants, let’s talk action.
Beginner’s Guide:
1. Monstera deliciosa (aka my fruit salad plant): this plant is easy to grow, inexpensive and absolutely stunning. Enjoy indirect sunlight and moderate and even watering. Water about once a week when the top inch of soil is dry.
2. Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant): these guys look especially nice in a hanging basket and were a favorite in Victorian-era homes. Grow in a well-draining potting mix. They don’t want to be in too dry or too wet of soil, so keep it evenly moist. They like bright to moderate indirect sunlight too, which means place them in a well-lit room but not in a spot that the sun’s rays directly touch.
3. Philodendron: this group of plants will grow and never stop. They sprout new leaves weekly and are impossible to kill. Just water them once a week or so and you’re set. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out between watering. Set them in a spot with bright, indirect sunlight.
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