5 Benefits of Indoor Plant Care for Mental Health
Indoor plants not only look beautiful, it has also been proven they improve your mood, reduce stress, and increase productivity. If you are on the fence about adding a plant baby to your home this might help you change your mind. Here are some benefits of adding indoor plants to your space.
1. Indoor plants can reduce feelings of anxiety
A study conducted in 2007 found that ‘friendly’ bacteria, called Mycobacterium vaccae, found in soil triggers the release of the brain chemical serotonin. This increases your mood and decreases anxiety. The bacteria alters your behavior kind of like when you are treated with antidepressant drugs. In summary, playing in the dirt can increase your quality of life.
2. Indoor plants increase productivity
A UK study found that adding greenery to your office increases productivity by 15% and improves workplace satisfaction. Humans are innately attracted to nature and by adding more greenery in places that you spend a lot of time will improve your time there. It makes people happy at work or in their home offices and can improve employee’s overall well-being.
3. Indoor plants provide a sense of accomplishment and purpose and encourage self expression
I agree with this just in my own experience and I know others do too. It’s the small things that really make a difference. Growing a plant from just a cutting and watching it thrive in the care of your own hands is beautiful. Findings have shown that tending to plants either indoors or in a garden is a great way to boost your self esteem! Taking care of plants is so rewarding that researchers have even dabbled with “horticultural therapy” or “plant therapy”.
4. Houseplants bring you back to nature
It’s no secret that humans are meant to be in and surrounded by nature. It’s shown that interacting with houseplants like pruning, repotting, touching, and smalling have the same stress-reducing effects as being in a forest. This is especially important or those in urban cities with little or no access to nature. Having plants reinforces our need to be around nature.
5. Plants can reduce your stress levels
Other studies have shown that interacting with plants can suppress the system in our bodies that gets triggered when we release distress signals. It has also been found that blood pressure was significantly lower in individuals who handled plants. It suggests that plants and interacting with them can lower our flight or fight response which in return lowers your overall stress levels.
There is not a lot of information out there regarding plants and the connection to human mental health yet, but we have already found amazing benefits. It’s amazing what indoors plants can do for us on just a small level. So maybe go out and buy a plant today or go thank the plants you already have!
Happy Planting y’all
Sav