Table of Contents
Without a doubt, indoor plants are a gorgeous addition to home decor but their aesthetic is not their single virtue. House plants have many health benefits for the occupants of a home.
Superpowers? Yes.
Indoor house plants can:
Get rid of toxins in the air. (Learn which)
Generate more oxygen. (How much)
Decrease stress levels.
Assist with the prevention of illnesses.
Improve the scent of your home and fight off molds.
In the following post, at Oak Hill Gardens we explain the details to all health benefits houseplants offer and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
1. House Plants are Multipurpose!
Perhaps one of the top health benefits of house plants is that they can also serve as natural remedies or even herbs for cooking delicious meals. Many species have anti-fungal properties and can fight mold. More on this below.
2. Best Indoor Healthy Plants: Homegrown Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, and Spices.
A cliché, you might say?
Just try growing your own produce at home.
There is nothing better than good old organic food. Look into container gardening and composting to get started.
The Differences Between Mulch Vs. Compost For Your Garden - Advantages And Disadvantages
Wait, but What is Mulch?
Having healthy soil, one can: Grow onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, butternut squash, herbs, oyster mushrooms, morels or even spices. Take it up a notch and consider giving up meat. According to The Guardian, vegan gardening, veganism, and vegan nutrition are revolutionizing mainstream growing of healthy indoor produce!
3. Greens Strengthen Your Immune System
Greenery benefits both mental and physical health. The presence of houseplants boosts your immune system and can be an ally in the fight against cold and flu.
What are the best houseplants for health? Check these out:
Aloe Vera;
Spider Plants;
Snake Plants;
Chrysanthemums;
Warneck Dracaenas;
Lavender;
Barberton Daisy;
English Ivy;
Weeping Fig;
Chinese Evergreen;
Rosemary;
Peace Lily;
Boston Fern;
Broad Lady Palm;
Red-edged Dracaena or Dragon Tree.
Of course, these are merely a few of the many other benefits of indoor plants. I.e. thyme tea helps with a sore throat, curry leaves improve the functions of your heart, and so on.
Plants release airborne chemicals that reduce stress levels. Less stress means a better functioning immune system. You might not feel any physical effects immediately, but you’ll notice that other people are more susceptible to infections compared to you.
4. Rest is Good with Leaves Nearby
It can be hard to get a full eight hours of restful sleep with no nightmares, and no night terrors. Given how busy most of us are and how difficult it is to switch off our brains at any given time, growing plants in your home can help.
The US National Center for Biotechnology Information studies confirms that indoor gardening improves agitation and cognition scores. Plants are good for sleep, and some even release a gentle, pleasing aroma that can lull you to slumber.
What are the best plants for good sleep?
| SPECIES | RELAXING SCENT |
FILTERS AIR | SUNLIGHT REQUIRED | POISONOUS FOR PETS | HAZARDOUS FOR HUMANS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aloe Vera | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Elecampane | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| English Ivy | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Golden Porthos | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Jasmine | ✔ | ✘ | Spring to Summer | ✘ | ✘ |
| Lavender | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Peace Lily | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Snake Plants | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Spider Plants | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Keep plants in the bedroom to neutralize effects of electronics such as TV’s and AC’s. As long as you don’t keep them [electronics] next to your head and you let fresh air in prior to sleep, you will get better rest throughout the night.
5. Plants Energize and Filter Air
Thanks to chlorophyll and photosynthesis, air quality in your home significantly improves. Fresh air makes you more energetic, productive, and creative.
Also, indoor plants do purify and remove common pollutants causing allergies and asthma.
The following are toxins absorbed by houseplants:
Ammonia – usually an ingredient in cleaning products;
Benzene – used for detergents, lubricants, and glues;
Formaldehyde – an organic compound in synthetic fabrics and wood items;
Trichloroethylene – found in lacquers and paint;
Xylene – released by cigarettes and nail polishes.
Based on the type and size of the plant, the impact and scope of air-purifying abilities will vary. Plants will get rid of toxins as long as you regularly clean their leaves and make sure enough natural light is present.
Did you know…
It is estimated that 0.15 kg of plant matter produces between 0.03 kg and 0.04 kg of oxygen (which equals 22 liters). The average person needs about 550 liters of pure oxygen per day.
6. Horticulture Improves Your Mental Health and Mood
Most of us run a busy and harried lifestyle. Surrounding yourself with greenery helps mitigate the negative effects of our toxic lifestyle.
Plants act as a constant, as a daily anchor in your life. They photosynthesize patiently and grow no matter what happens around.
Bringing Nature indoors helps with headaches and improves your brain function.
They are a reminder of open spaces and Nature and thus bring a sense of serenity. You won’t feel as trapped between the walls of your home but rather in Nature and peace.
Sincere tips and advice:
7. Vegetation Helps You Let Go of Stress
When you take care of a living plant, you nurture, water, keep bugs away, and watch it grow right before your eyes. To sustain life gives you a sense of pride. To care for plants makes you feel accomplished and it brings joy.
Here’s another interesting tidbit:
According to a popular study, people feel calmer after transplanting a plant compared to their mood after dealing with a computer problem.
If you’re more into flowers than greenery, online retailers can help deliver fast (i.e. tomorrow!).
The conclusion? Plants can be a big help when you feel overburdened with the fast pace of modern life.
8. Verdure Boosts Your Productivity and Creativity
Greenery can be beneficial not only for your home but for the work you do.
Did you know…
Several experiments revealed a connection between the presence of plants in the working space and the improved focus of the employees.
"What was important was that everybody could see a plant from their desks. If you are working in an environment where there's something to get you psychologically engaged you are happier and you work better," comments Dr. Chris Knight, University of Exeter.
Workers tend to be more peaceful and more productive when surrounded by plants.
9. Indoor Horticulture Boosts Your Learning Abilities.
Houseplants can even help children with mental disabilities by calming their minds, creating a safe space, and generally, the presence of greenery helps to pay close attention to something.
Check our other awesome blogs:
10. Plants Help with Healing
Your growing plants become part of your own sanctuary. It’s simply how Nature works. That’s why having greenery around helps people deal with diseases, injury, or sickness.
An aloe vera plant soothes burns. It can also be used in various DIY organic cosmetics recipes. As mentioned prior, plant life can ease asthma and allergies, too.
Nursery rooms with greenery inside lead to better heart rate and blood pressure of patients, and those needed fewer pain killers than the other patients.
Throughout human history, countless species have proven strong healing properties and results use in medicine.
11. Plants Help Therapeutic Care
To nurture plants can be a great complement to one’s recovery process. This is now called horticultural therapy.
In some cases, the doctor will make you grow plants as part of a recovery treatment by achieving specific goals, be it in height, form, number of leaves, or even sleeping outdoors.
Such goals can help battle both physical and psychological issues.
12. Plants Ennoble Attachments and Relationships.
When you grow and nurture life,
You become more compassionate.
You develop a special bond and affection for your house plants.
You learn to coexist.
You breathe the oxygen they produce.
You become more empathetic and this will reflect on your relationships with people.
”Build a daily routine to upkeep conditions such as moisture, temperature, and health overview.” advised Marla Gates, Organic 4 Green Livings author, “Indoor plants can have extreme benefits for those who live alone or have fewer friends. A person will feel less lonely when there’s another living thing nearby.”
13. Greenery Makes Your Interior Beautiful
Plants can improve the vibe of any room.
Greenery brings life, comfort, and color to your home. However, when you decorate your living space, remember to select the optimal spots for indoor horticulture. Depending on how you arrange your house plants, one can narrow or widen how your interior looks and feels like.
Try the following ideas:
Brighten up your windows ledge with pots;
Use live plants as table centerpieces;
Fill empty spaces (hallways, staircases) with palms and tree-type shrubs.
14. Flora Acts as a Natural Humidifier
Indoor horticulture increases the humidity levels in your home due to the processes happening inside them. Greenery is responsible for at least 10% of the air moisture in a given space because it releases almost all the water absorbed.
To increase the humidity of a certain room, place around 3 or 4 plants.
The health benefits are immense:
Prevention of respiratory illnesses;
Improved skin condition;
Fewer cases of sore throat or cold.
15. Plant are Organic Air Fresheners
Why use a bottled air freshener when you can rely on the natural aroma of house plants?
Organic scents will improve your overall wellbeing and mood. Greenery boosts the production of positive hormones in your brain.
Choose orchids, lavender or jasmine for a marvelous fragrance.
TL;DR
Plants help you quiet both mind and home.
Greenery is nature and nature is life.
Plant more.
Author: Dmitri Kara
Hello, I’m Dmitri!
Started as a jack of all trades back in early 2012, Dmitri Kara is a recognized expert in a wide range of domestic and commercial trades. Dmitri Kara has appeared on reputable outlets such as Today.com, Metro.News, Telegraph.co.uk, ReadersDigest.com, Quote.com, Reviews.com, Plus.net, IkeaHackers.net, and many more. You can get in touch at https://twitter.com/@dmitrikara.