Office Plant by Julien GONG Min
Most of us have at least a couple plants in our apartments. They’re widely used as interior décor since they’re not too difficult to keep and add freshness to rooms — especially during the gray, dark days of fall and winter. However, only a few people realize that house plants do not only provide beauty for our eyes, but are also said to have plenty of other positive effects on our homes.
Getting over the hurdle
Firstly, they are scientifically proven to lower stress in rooms or offices. Whether it’s their colour or a reminder of nature (which is subconsciously linked to relaxation and calm), one thing is clear: the stress level goes significantly down with indoor plants dotting your interior. Additionally, research shows that they generally improve a person’s attitude and mood.
Flowering hibiscus
by Thomas Tolkien
Secondly, they have a significant effect on the quality of the air we breathe inside the building. If a suitable, fragrant plant is chosen, or if we’re lucky enough to have a flowering plant in the room, it can function as a natural air freshener and add fragrance to the stagnant air in the house (some herbs like basil or thyme are perfect for this). Furthermore, they balance out the oxygen cycle by breathing in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, thereby substituting the oxygen lost, for example, from burning candles. (But be careful, this only applies during the day, so it’s not the best idea to let your kids sleep in a room full of lush plants.) As a by-product of these invisible processes performed by the plants, another benefit for residents arises: polluted air is naturally filtered and purified, which may especially help in modern, well-sealed buildings with air conditioning, and thus the so-called “sick building syndromes,” such as irritation of the eyes and nose or general problems with immunity and health, are reduced.
Peperomia by Maria Keays
Some further effects of indoor plants include noise reduction, as they do not reflect noise like hard surfaces do, and the general diffusion the sound waves, as well as balancing the heat, since they are able to absorb some of it during hot summer days. There are many more benefits ascribed to various plants according to the traditional Chinese art of Feng Shui and other approaches. For example, lilies or peperomia are believed to be a great choice for offices, as they absorb some of the harmful radiation from computers. Jade plants are thought to bring wealth and prosperity to your home. Plants with sharp leaves, such as aloe or snake plants, are great energy booster, while lavender in the bedroom is said to cure insomnia.
Whichever indoor plant you go for, remember that they are living organisms that need us to take good care of them from time to time, but that they’re ready to give much more than they get.
