How indoor plants can give you the boost you need at home

It would appear that self-proclaimed “plant moms” are everywhere these days, accompanied by meticulously curated Instagram feeds. But could they actually be on to something?

There has been an increasing interest in exploring the relationship between leafy additions to our home and the way they interact with our mental health. What benefits, if any, do plants have on our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing?

1. Indoor plants improve air quality

Even if plants don’t deliver on improving your mood, they can literally improve the air that you breathe. For many of us who are spending extended periods of time in our homes amidst the global pandemic, realise that it can get quite stuffy, especially in smaller, light-deprived units. The addition of indoor plants to your work-from-home space has an important benefit: oxygen.

2. Plants reduce stress

Seriously, it’s science. A scientific study conducted by The University of Hyogo in Japan revealed that stress and anxiety were significantly reduced after incorporating plants into the work environment. Furthermore, the study highlights the positive physiological and psychological effects of interacting with plants through the process of watering, caring for, and repotting the plants.

3. Link to nature

This benefit might be purely for people who are pre-disposed to enjoying the marvels of the outside world, but find themselves in a dilemma because they are either removed from or have limited access to nature. The lockdown taking place in South Africa means that we all need to stay in a little (read: a lot) more than we would like to. Adding plants to your home brings the outside in, and reconnects you with nature when it proves a little challenging to get your hands on the real thing.

4. Beat the blues with plants

This is not to replace any sound medical advice as far has prescribed medication is concerned but acts merely as a green-fingered addition to things that could alleviate symptoms of depression. Some contenders to consider include lavender with its anti-anxiety properties, basil, and English ivy.

5. Plants inspire creativity

As much as plants add a touch of creativity to your space, they have also been known to inspire it. Plants placed in a workspace can lead to increased vitality, creativity, and focus. Texas A&M University concluded through a study, that the benefits of plants on creativity boasted an improvement of 15% in the workplace.

You don’t have to be a plant aficionado to understand the benefits of adding greenery to your home, but you can incorporate it into your everyday life, even for the sole purpose of making that #WFH snap more aesthetically pleasing.

This content has been created as part of our freelancer relief programme. We are supporting journalists and freelance writers impacted by the economic slowdown caused by #lockdownlife.

If you are a freelancer looking to contribute to The South African, read more here.