Did you know that plants provide mental benefits?
Okay, so maybe you did. But did you know that they provide WAY MORE than just one kind of mental benefit? Plants are the only eukaryotic organisms that can produce energy through photosynthesis. And they’re also the only eukaryotic organisms that produce oxygen. Aside from having those incredible abilities, plants offer us humans many benefits. A few benefits are that they provide better air quality and help with indoor humidity. If you want to check out which plants are best for you, click here. But aside from these physical benefits of indoor plants, there are also mental ones!
Stress Reducer
At first, it may seem odd how a plant can help reduce stress. But, numerous studies, including a study done by NIH, found that having plants help both physiological and psychological stressors. This is executed by suppressing sympathetic nervous system activity and diastolic blood pressure and promoting a comfortable, soothed, and natural feel.
Sharpens Concentration
For students and those who like to be concentrated while working, having an indoor plant may be the solution for you. A study of 23 elementary students found they were more focused when natural plants were present than near fake plants. In addition, the researchers did brain scans on each participant, finding that their brain was more active when plants were present.
Enhances Memory
Like concentration, plants can help enhance memory retention, which is ideal for students who want to retain all the information they obtain. For example, a study by the University of Michigan found that participants who had planted near them while studying/working had a 20% increase in memory retention when they spent an hour with nature (plants/trees).
Promotes Happiness
Even if you are not a fan of plants, plants have been known to promote happiness. Walking along parks or gardens can produce dopamine and endorphins, but bringing a piece of the garden inside can produce the same effect.
Boost Productivity
Yes, that’s right, plants can help you be more productive at work and school. How? Well, a study done in 1996 on a college campus concluded that participants who worked in an environment where plants were present were 12% more productive than those who worked without plants near them. So if you feel unproductive, try getting a plant to support you while you work.
Promotes Creativity
Workplaces can also take advantage of what plants offer to promote creativity. Today many commercial building designs include plants and trees in their surroundings for this very reason. A study by A&M concluded that people increased creativity by 15% when they had plants in the workplace.
Illness Recovery
It also may seem bizarre that plants can help in recovery from illness. But scientific studies have been done recently in hospital gardens and plants taken to patients. They found that patients who had plants near them were more likely not to need as much pain medication and had shorter hospital stays than those who didn’t have plants. However, this may be in a different setting than at work or home. So there may be benefits when you are recovering at home.
Reduces Background Noise
If you work in the city or next to a busy street, plants may solve your noise problem. Similar to being in the middle of a dense forest, their leaves and stems increase surface area and effectively absorb sound waves.
Symbiotic Relationship
When it comes to plants, we care for, a relationship forms. Plants provide many benefits, such as better air quality, humidity regulation, and all the benefits described above. And all we, as their caretakers, need to do is put them near sunlight and water and give them some fertilizer if necessary to keep them healthy. In addition, it helps us stay motivated to see our plants do well and flourish.
Looks Nice
Even after all plants do for us. They alone make our space and surrounding welcoming and aesthetically pleasing. Plants are a great way to elevate your place and make us feel good about yourself. A clean room with plants creates a place to focus and be productive. Having plants to care for gives us a purpose to keep our area nice and neat.
