We all know plants are a vital part of the ecosystem, but what about inside our homes? Indoor plants can have a big impact on our health and wellbeing, providing benefits beyond just simple decoration.
The benefits of plants in the home
Living with plants has been shown to have measurable benefits for health and wellbeing. Studies conducted with house plants in the home have demonstrated that plants can reduce stress levels and help you focus and stay more mindful.
By raising oxygen levels and cleansing the air, house plants can also aid your respiratory system by reducing fatigue, headaches, sneezing fits, sore throats and other associated problems.
Let’s take a look at these benefits in more detail.
House plants improve air quality
Plants are incredible at purifying air. Back in 1989, NASA published the results of a research study on how plants can clean air – the work of scientist Bill Wolverton. He and his team were looking at how plants can help humans spend long periods of time in space by cleaning the air in sealed environments, such as space stations.
While the study has since come under some criticism for the extent to which it would apply to real-world environments (as opposed to laboratory-controlled conditions), the results are intriguing. Of the 107 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in the air inside the Skylab space station, indoor plants removed almost all after being introduced into the environment.
Not only do they get rid of toxins, they actually make use of them. Plants emit water vapor through transpiration (when direct sunlight hits the leaves and pulls water from them into the air), which is a process that improves indoor air quality by humidifying the air. It also creates a pumping action pulling the contaminated air down around a plant’s roots. There it is then converted into food for the plant. “The plant is quite flexible in which pollutants are transformed into nutrients,” explains Wolverton. “It needs about two weeks to detect the pollutants and to build the different enzymes to metabolize them.”
Having plants in your home could boost your mood
Plants have been shown to have a natural calming effect on people – simply with their presence. While you might assume you have to go outside and spend time exploring to enjoy the benefits of nature, it turns out having houseplants can be associated with similar feelings of calm.
It’s largely down to the impact plants have on our cortisol levels. Cortisol is often referred to as the body’s stress hormone. Indeed, it’s produced by our adrenal glands in response to stress, but increased cortisol levels aren’t necessarily bad. It’s more about having a balance and avoiding prolonged periods of time where your cortisol levels are elevated.
Plants have been found to lower the levels of cortisol or anxiety, as well as simply enhancing feelings of calmness and happiness, in numerous studies:
- Research looking into the behavior of dental patients has shown that a fragrant lavender plant can do wonders for patients struggling with phobias. Those waiting for treatment reported a natural sense of calm from the aroma, reducing their normal anxieties about visiting the dentist.
- Another study confirmed how smelling lavender and rosemary plants decreases cortisol and protects the body from oxidative stress.
- Research found that interacting with indoor foliage plants brought about more comfortable, soothed and natural feelings when compared with interacting with a computer task. This is thanks to the suppression of sympathetic nervous system activity and diastolic blood pressure.
- Proving that you don’t need to interact with gardens and plants to benefit, however, other studies have shown that being around house plants, or having a view of green spaces outside, can make us feel better. One study found that individuals who worked in offices with plants and windows reported that they felt better about both their job and their performance at work than those without.
Being around indoor plants may improve your productivity
Humans have an innate need to connect with nature, which is why being around plants can improve our mood and positivity. In turn, this can make us more focused and productive.
We’ve touched on the impact of plants in the workplace above, but further studies have found enriching a ‘lean’ office (ones with limited workspace design) with plants could increase productivity by 15%. These findings were the result of monitoring productivity levels in two large commercial offices in the UK and The Netherlands over several months, which concluded that adding greenery to an office “increases employees’ work engagement by making them more physically, cognitively, and emotionally involved in their work.”
Similar findings have been replicated with students asked to perform critical thinking tasks in spaces with and without greenery. Those in a room with plants performed better and had a longer attention span.
House plants can help to fight colds
Because plants can improve indoor air quality, this has a knock-on impact on our ability to fight off the common cold. Coughs and colds tend to be more frequent when you spend a lot of time in dry rooms, and research has found that raising the humidity can help to protect us from illness.
Plants are natural humidifiers – through photosynthesis and respiration, they release moisture vapor into the air around them. Just a few plants can have an impact on humidity in any room, creating healthier respiratory conditions. Studies have found:
- In offices containing plants, complaints regarding cough and fatigue were reduced by 37% and 30% respectively, as well as self-reported levels of dry or hoarse throat and dry or flushed facial skin decreasing by about 23%. Significant reductions were discovered in both neuropsychological symptoms (fatigue, feeling heavy-headed, headache, dizziness, and concentration problems), and in mucous membrane symptoms (itching or irritation of the eyes; irritated, running, or stuffy nose; dry or hoarse throat; and cough).
Plants need water, but only actually use a small amount for growth and metabolism. Around 97-99.5% is used in transpiration or oozes out. Therefore, the majority of plants have the ability to increase humidity levels and release hydrogen peroxide through transpiration, although levels do vary between plants.
Looking after plants is also a rewarding activity
Caring for your own plants can be a highly rewarding activity. Not only does having houseplants benefit your health and create a more enjoyable space, but seeing your own thriving creation provides a great sense of accomplishment. Over time, you might learn how to identify different plants, when they need to be watered and pruned, and what kind of environment they prefer. Some of the best plants for beginners are:
- Snake plants
- Pothos
- ZZ plant
- Spider plant
- Peace lily
- Philodendron
- Chinese evergreen
With all of the benefits of having plants inside, it’s worth introducing some to your home.