A few years ago, the world slowed down and people started picking up a ton of self-improvement habits, one of the many included a love for plants! While there are SO many reasons to fill your home with foliage, I’m just going to give you my favorite 10 benefits of indoor plants; many of which are highly recommended by professionals of health and wellbeing too.
1. Indoor plants improve air quality – based on a NASA study
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In 1989, NASA conducted a study to find ways to improve the air quality in their space crafts. The studies showed that plants didn’t just consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen but were able to capture harmful toxins and organic chemicals such as formaldehyde, toluene, xylene and more.
While purifying the air is a benefit of indoor plants, this doesn’t mean a few plants are able to cleanse an entire room or space. Plants help improve the quality of your air, but they do not clean it completely- you would still need a regular cleaning schedule, unfortunately 😉
Some of the recommended plants include:
- English Ivy
- Peace Lily
- Palm: Bamboo palm, lady palm, parlour palm
- Varigated snake plant
- Aloe vera
- Spider plant
- Heartleaf or Brasil philodendron– favourite low maintenance trailing plant! Check this one out for an easy, gorgeous and must-have plant. I especially love the Brasil variety for its dual tone leaves.
- Red edged dracaena
- Chrysanthemum
2. A mental health booster
Did you know plants and people belong together? It’s such a lovely sentiment, I think. One of the many benefits of indoor plants is that they’re a quick way to lift low moods. Nature’s green color and the aesthetically pleasing sight of a healthy plant is an instant mood booster. Caring for plants and doing the routine work of keeping it alive gives us a general sense of accomplishment and/or purpose. In some cases, therapists have recommended plant care as a step for those dealing with chronic low moods and depression.
Additionally, if you have older folks living at home, there are many benefits of gardening for the elderly. Giving them the responsibility of maintaining plants whether indoors or outdoors is a fantastic way to keep them active both mentally and physically.
3. A means of connection to nature
We’re in the peak of digitalisation and tend to spend more time attached to gadgets and screens than with flowers and trees. While this list is in no particular order, connecting humans and nature is definitely in the top 3 of my 10 benefit of indoor plants. Houseplants provides us with a connection to natural life as we go about our day. It also reminds us of the value of nature and serves as a reminder to put your screen down, go out, and get some fresh air!
However, if you already know this and want to turn your living space into a bit of a jungle, learn about some of the common big leaf plants and add them to your collection. Connect to nature while staying home, win-win!
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4. Improves focus, creativity, and productivity
Placing indoor plants in spaces where you work, study, or concentrate will see the benefits of improved productivity. The vibrant colors, shapes and forms of a plant helps enhance creativity; while its air purifying abilities improve focus and concentration. So if you have an office space that’s been feeling a little bit like a concrete jungle, add a handful of vibrant plants and see if it helps!
Additionally, if you’ve ever wondered how to improve children’s concentration and focus, try adding a few vibrant plants in their study areas and see if it helps.
5. Indoor plants are a stress buster
During the lockdown period a few years ago, every time I was mildly stressed, I would acquire a houseplant. Since shops were closed, I got creative, resourceful and maybe even a little bit mischievous. I exchanged cutting with neighbours, learned how to grow plants from seeds to harvest, joined online swap groups and did strange things (nothing illegal, promise) just to grow my plant collection. Little did I know then that there were so many benefits of plants and it was helping me manage all that stress.
A study during that time period showed that greenery helped provide relief when confined in small spaces and contributed to improving overall mental health.
6. Helps with allergies and immune system
Does it seem bizarre to see ‘help the immune system’ as a point on a list of benefits of indoor plants? Relating to the points above, indoor plants filter the air and their leaves catch fine dust, alleviating certain household allergies, especially in children. With improved air quality, improved moods and phytochemicals released by plants, your immune system naturally gets a little boost too. Nothing too major, but every tiny bit definitely helps. It’s a lovely little benefit of indoor plants for the whole family.
If you already have existing allergies, just like pets, there are a handful of recommended houseplants for allergies. These would include the common snake plant, English ivy, bamboo palm and other similar varieties.
7. Increases humidity indoors – win!
Did you know the ideal indoor humidity is between 40% to 60%?
Up to 97% of a plant’s water intake is released into the air as water vapour through its natural respiration process. This is especially beneficial during cold or dry weather. Regardless of your climate, you can almost always benefit from humidity, for your health, skin and overall well being.
8. Instils values of responsibility, discipline and self-care
Some mothers, life coaches, and gurus will tell you to start your morning making your bed. This is fantastic advice, not only to ensure you end your day in a comfortable setting but as a means of instilling discipline and a morning routine – bonus life lesson.
In the same respect, one of the 10 benefits of indoor plants is being able to instil discipline, commitment, and a sense of responsibility through the required routine care. From watering and fertilising to pruning and repotting; this benefit is valuable for everyone, especially children, teens, and adults who are struggling with their focus, self-worth and mental health. It’s a symbiotic relationship and a beautiful one too; indoor plants depend on us for their basic needs and gives us so much in return, sometimes more than we know.
9. Improves sleep and quality of rest
Studies have shown that plants have helped those with sleep issues including anxiety, insomnia and interrupted sleep. Recommended bedroom plants include aloe vera, snake plant, peace lily, pothos (money plant), ficus elastica (rubber plant) and many more.
Personally, I love snake plants (also known as mother-in-law tongue plant) in the bedroom as they’re aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance, hardy, and can withstand varying temperatures (especially if you sleep with the air-conditioning turned on). I purchased 6-7 plants and grouped them in 2s for fuller pots and single plants for that slimmer aesthetic. This beautiful set of 4 snake plants is a good bargain, especially if you have multiple spaces to fill.
10. Adds beauty and aesthetic value
While there are so many health benefits of plants in home, it’s no secret that indoor plants are a big part of interior decorating and a sure way to keep your home looking cosy and feeling great too. Add small plants on mantels and coffee tables or make room for large, lush foliage in the corner of your living space. Whatever your preference is, a splash of nature’s color palette is an easy way to brighten up your space. Ready? Let’s grow!
