Plants are not only a refreshing aesthetic to your home but offer great health benefits. They bring purpose and pleasure to our homes and our lives. Let’s keep it short and sweet so you can see what I’m talking about…
Improves Mental Health
My favorite health benefit, and one of the reasons I started with plants, is they have been proven to help your mental state (Texas A&M). As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I deal with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. I hated taking prescription medications, so I was willing to try anything natural that would help my mental health!
Being in nature can help lighten your mood, whether you’re a nature person or not. The fresh greenery, extra oxygen, and calmness they portray instantly kick in the endorphins, or happy hormones, in our bodies. It’s a natural way to instantly boost your mood. Is it a cure for depression? No. But, I can tell you I feel a lot more relieved and lifted with my plants, than without.
Plants also give off a calm and peaceful vibe. Having anxiety and how our world is extremely fast-paced, we are constantly being rushed around. Rushing through life, tasks, work, and household duties heightens anxiety. However, plants offer a peaceful and calm atmosphere. There are even plants with amazing scents. Pleasant scents can also help you to release those endorphins which will make you feel relaxed and happier.
Benefits Our Immune System
Plants can help give our immune system the boost it needs to aid in fighting off illnesses and allow for better sleep (Fiorenzi). As stated above, they take in toxic chemicals, bacteria, and viruses and utilize them as food. Then, they release oxygen and cleaner air. This purified air gives us better air to breathe which aids in our sleeping! If you’ve ever taken a nice stroll outside, you might have noticed how relaxed you felt afterward and the peaceful sleep that follows.
Having plants in your bedroom can give you the clean and purified air your body needs to have sufficient oxygen for more peaceful sleep. When you’re experiencing sleepless nights, it takes a great toll on your body and mind. It affects our productivity throughout the day and our moods. When you’re able to get the sleep you need, you feel more relaxed and it helps aid your immune system which helps fight off the bacteria and viruses causing us to get sick.
You may not even notice the physical or positive effects at first. Until you realize you haven’t had that cold or flu that’s been passed around your job, school, or friends! The health benefits plants can offer are remarkable.
Sources:
A&M, Texas. “Ellison Chair in International Floriculture.” Ellison Chair in International Floriculture ICal, ellisonchair.tamu.edu/health-and-well-being-benefits-of-plants/.
Fiorenzi, Ryan, and Mary Frances. “Best Plants to Help You Sleep.” Start Sleeping, 19 Dec. 2019, startsleeping.org/the-best-plants-to-help-you-sleep/.