Holistic Health
Indoor plants can improve well-being
They can have a positive impact on the mind and beyond
Plants may be your best home decoration option as they not only can make your place cosy but can also provide significant health benefits .
For example , research has found that being around plants can improve blood pressure health . In one study , participants were asked to either repot a plant or do a computer task and then switch roles . Those working with plants reported feeling comfortable and �soothed� , while their blood pressure was reduced . The opposite was true for those completing the computer task .
�Our results suggest that active interaction with indoor plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress compared with mental work . This is accomplished through suppression of sympathetic nervous system activity and diastolic blood pressure and promotion of comfortable , soothed , and natural feelings , � the authors wrote in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology . High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease , so keeping it under control can help prevent heart problems .
This soothing effect from plants was also observed in another study where patients in a hospital waiting room were exposed to real plants , posters of plants , or no nature . The first two groups reported lower levels of stress than patients who weren ’ t exposed to real or poster plants . The authors concluded that �hospitals can create a pleasant atmosphere that positively influences patients ’ well-being� by simply decorating waiting rooms with real or poster plants .
A research review even found that hospitalised patients who could look at plants or trees experienced better clinical outcomes , such as a reduced need for pain medications and shortened hospital stays .
�Well-designed hospital gardens not only provide restorative and pleasant nature views , but also can reduce stress and improve clinical outcomes through other mechanisms such as increasing access to social support , and providing opportunities for positive escape from stressful clinical settings , � the review authors wrote in the paper Health �enefits o� Gardens in Hospitals .
Indoor plants have also been found to spark positive emotions , with people in rooms decorated with plants feeling happier than those in plant-free rooms . One Bulgarian study found that students who spent most of their time in their apartments during CO�ID stay-athome orders experienced better mental health if they were exposed to more greenery , such as having more houseplants or a garden .
Growing plants may not be everyone ’ s forte , especially if you don ’ t have a green thumb , so it ’ s best to pick plants that are resilient , which will also help keep stress levels down . n
“ Our results suggest that active interaction with indoor plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress compared with mental work .”
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