Health Benefits of House Plants
There is just something to be said about the beauty and comfort house plants bring to our homes and offices. The lush flowers and foliage of indoor plants help do a number of tremendous things. Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, cubicles... There really isn't a space an indoor plant can't enliven. With light, water, and the right nutrients you've got a growing indoor oasis. Bringing plants into your home is aesthetically pleasing and - amazingly - plants can offer strong health benefits as well!
Multiple studies have proven that indoor plants keep you healthier and happier, offering both psychological and physical health benefits that include:
1. Improving your mood
2. Reducing fatigue
3. Lowering stress and anxiety
4. Improving office performance and focus
5. Boosting healing and pain tolerance
6. Minimizing the occurrence of headaches by improving air quality
7. Easing dry skin and respiratory ailments due to dry air
A number of houseplants can absorb toxic substances such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene, found in man-made materials that are known to "off-gas" pollutants into the air in your home, school, and office. In addition, a study done at Virginia Tech led researchers to conclude that houseplants can reduce indoor dust by up to 20%. In effect, houseplants are efficient air cleaners.
NASA has done extensive studies of the role of houseplants in cleansing the air, hoping to capitalize on these benefits for future space stations. Their studies have shown that certain houseplants are exceptionally good at cleansing the air (click to see the NASA’s houseplant list). NASA recommends having 15-18 houseplants for a 1,800 square-foot house. While not all of us have room for quite that many plants, even just a few can be effective. Dr. Virginia Lohr, a professor of horticulture at Washington State University, suggests that filling as little as 2% of the room with plants will make an impact.
So please don't take our word for it, take NASA's word for it. ; )