Houseplants do more than just beautify your indoor space. Research shows that keeping plants inside your home can bring a host of physical and mental health benefits. Houseplants are actually good for your health because they grab and filter polluted indoor air.
When you embellish interior spaces with houseplants, you’re not just adding greenery. These living organisms interact with your body, mind and home in ways that enhance the quality of life. So, here are the top health benefits of house plants:
HOUSEPLANTS HELP DETER ILLNESS
In the great outdoors, plant roots tap the groundwater table for water which then evaporates through its leaves in a process known as transpiration. Studies show that this accounts for about 10 percent of the moisture in the atmosphere! The same thing happens at home (minus the groundwater table part), which increases the humidity indoors. While this may sound unappealing during hot moist months, it’s a gift during drier months or if you live in an arid clime. Using plants in interior spaces decreases the incidence of dry skin, colds, sore throats and dry coughs.
HOUSEPLANTS CAN REMOVE AIRBORNE ILLNESS
We breathe the same air again and again, potentially inhaling harmful substances that are trapped inside. Indoor plants can help to remove pollutants including VOCs that cause headaches, nausea, and more.
HOUSEPLANTS ENHANCE COGNITIVE FUNCTION
Keeping plants indoors can make you think better. The mental benefits observed during this research include- Improved concentration, improved memory, better goal achievement and heightened attention. Indoor plants have also been linked to a boost in creativity.
HOUSE PLANTS HELP REDUCE STRESS
Most of us know instinctively that being close to greenery makes us feel more at ease with our surroundings. We experience less stress when there are plants around us. Buildings are quieter and more relaxed but, at the same time, more stimulating and interesting. A substantial body of academic research has shown conclusively that interior landscaping has dramatic effects on the wellbeing of building occupants.
HOUSEPLANTS IMPROVE AIR QUALITY
There is general agreement amongst scientists that plants improve the indoor environment and are useful in fighting the modern phenomenon of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). No specific cause of SBS has been identified but poor air quality, excessive background noise and inadequate control of light and humidity are all thought to be important factors. Particular benefits of interior plants include- reducing carbon dioxide levels, increasing humidity, reducing levels of certain pollutants, such as benzene and nitrogen dioxide, reducing airborne dust levels and keeping air temperatures down. List of plants that purify air >>
OTHER BENEFITS:
- Some plants, like eucalyptus, can help clear phlegm and congestion from your system. It opens bronchial passages, and clears mucus during colds, flu, or bronchitis. It acts as a natural antiseptic. Use eucalyptus as an inhalant and don’t eat it. It has a high toxicity internally.
- Indoor plants create oxygen and lower the carbon dioxide level, so you’re less likely to be breathing the musty, stale air that contributes to headaches.
- Since plants give off oxygen, they can help improve your night’s sleep. Some plants, like gerbera daisies, release oxygen at night, so place them by your bed for optimal oxygen while you slumber.
- People with plants in their homes have less stress, and plants have been known to contribute to lower blood pressure.
- Exposing children to allergens such as plants early in life can help them build a tolerance and immunity to the allergen. It works like a custom allergy shot, naturally.
- Some indoor plants, like aloe, can be applied to skin and offer pain relief.