Plants Make Great Housemates–
Ever since I had my first apartment, I’ve thought of house plants as friends or peaceful “roommates”. They filled an empty corner, added life to a room, accented the space with color and textures. House plants have always brought me beauty and joy and have always been an essential part of any room where I spend much time— either at home or at work.
While plants are beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, they also have numerous health benefits and serve many functional purposes too. They have many surprising benefits from helping us relax, adding humidity to the air, recycling carbon dioxide and more. Here’s more:
House Plants are Nature’s Ventilators
Did you know that incorporating house plants into your home or office can help combat what is referred to as “sick building syndrome.”? That occurs when your indoor environment releases contaminants. These bad elements enter the air from carpets, copy machines, and a wide range of other sources. If the space isn’t ventilated well, then the contaminants can add up and cause health problems. The negative impacts can be sinus irritation, skin problems, headaches, fatigue, and nausea. But fortunately, house plants are natural ventilators. Adding plants to these areas can help cleanse the interior environment, reduce toxins being released, and the significantly lessen the risk of experiencing health-related issues.
Choose the Right House Plants
Choosing the right plants is essential— the ones that bring benefits and don’t add to any stress from their maintenance. Pick plants that will thrive when they’re living indoors in your climate. Select plants that do well living in warmer temperatures and don’t require a significant amount of sunlight. Under most circumstances, tropical plants including dracaenas, evergreens, peace lilies, and philodendrons do well in indoor environments.
House Plants that Support Your Health
- Aloe Vera: soothes sunburn and minor skin wounds
- Boston Fern removes indoor airborne pollutants
- Garden Mum: purifies the air
- Lavender and Jasmine: helps induce tranquility
- Spider Plant: removes xylene and formaldehyde from the air
Wellness Benefits of House Plants
My favorite benefits from house plants, besides bringing me beauty and joy, are helping me breath better air and feel relaxed. When you add indoor plants to your home or office, you are breathing better air. This is because many plants remove formaldehyde and benzene from the air. For example, the bromeliad plant is known for eliminating over 80% of six volatile compounds during a 12-hour time frame. Another plant, the Dracaena, will remove up to 94% of acetone from the air. Plants also reduce noise while simultaneously adding comfort by increasing the humidity in the air. They help reduce our stress and improve the environment’s sense of calmness.
I’ve learned a lot about the benefits of house plants since living in my first apartment. But my instincts were right— plants are good for us. Add plants to your indoor spaces. They will be good “roommates” and help you live live well with zest!
Live Well with Zest!
Bev xo
Written by Bev Hope
