April 19, 2018 by Mulberry Maids
Plants are amazing. They do much more than take up space and look pretty. Plants not only improve our sense of well being, but they also improve your home air quality and can help reduce background noise.
1. House Plants can Improve Health Outcomes:
Research suggests workplaces, schools, homes, and hospitals can have improved health outcomes and reduced stress when exposed to houseplants. People in offices have been shown to be happier and more productive, take fewer sick days, and will experi
ence less headaches and fatigue when they are working in sight of plants. In addition, students have the ability to perform better and increase their attentiveness when taught in rooms with plants. Hospitals have seen benefits of plants being in patient rooms. For example, research suggests patients can have faster recovery times, request less pain medications, and experience less fatigue and anxiety. Seeing greenery and nature helps us feel more relaxed, calm, and can help with loneliness and depression. Caring for living things is rewarding and gives us a sense of purpose.
2. Improve Air Quality and Breath Easier:
Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Releasing more oxygen and refreshing the air, makes houseplants an essential addition to your inside environment. Plants such as orchids and succulents are especially active at night, which makes them a great bedroom plant to help you breath easier as you sleep!
In addition to releasing oxygen, plants increase humidity levels. In fact, plants release about 97% of the water they take in as moisture vapor, which make them beneficial for decreasing dry skin, colds, sore throats, and dry coughs.
Equally as awesome to all of the benefits listed above, plants can reduce levels of air pollutants, such as formaldehyde (found in rungs, vinyl, cigarette smoke, and grocery bags) benzene, and trichloroethylene (found in man made fibers, inks, solvents, and paint).
3. Help Lower Background Noise:
Why are there so many trees lining roadways? Well, trees can help buffer the noise from busy roads. Similarly, the leaves of plants can absorb and reflect background noise, making the home environment a more enjoyable and calming place to be.
Wow! Plants really are awesome! But how many plants do we need to experience these beneficial effects? Well, if you want to experience the health benefits mentioned, you will want about one large plant (8 inch diameter pot) every 130 square feet. In an office or school space, you will need to position the plants so every person has greenery in their view. However, to experience effects related to better air quality, you will need about 1 plant every 100 square feet, which is about 15-18 plants (in a 6-8 inch pot) in a 1800 square foot house.