Benefits of Houseplants

Houseplants are great natural decoration pieces to occupy a corner, window sill, table, or shelf, but they also offer many health benefits that can enhance your physical well-being.

Air Quality

In the late 1970s, many buildings were constructed with limited fresh air exchange and ‘superinsulation’ in an attempt to minimize energy costs. However, occupants began to report various health problems. This phenomenon, known as ‘sick building syndrome,’ was caused by the lack of fresh air entering the building and emissions of ‘various organic compounds’ from synthetic insulations. In 1989, NASA conducted a study to counteract ‘sick building syndrome’ and their results were nothing short of remarkable. They found that certain houseplants can absorb pollutants in the air through their soil and improve air quality dramatically.

Recommended Plants: These are several of the species shown to be most effective:

• areca, lady, dwarf date, and bamboo palms
• Boston fern
• rubber tree
• spider plant
• Ficus tree
• Chrysanthemums
• Peace lilies
• English ivy

Decreasing Stress

According to a 2015 study conducted by scientists at Chungnam National University, interacting with plants “can reduce physiological and psychological stress.” During the study, half the participants completed a task on a computer while the other half repotted a plant. They found that working with plants inspired comfortable feelings and reduced more stress compared to completing the computer task.

Sleep

The 1989 NASA study discovered certain plants have the ability to remove pollutants from the air and this natural process could improve your sleep. We release a lot of carbon dioxide when we are sleeping. 

Recommended Plants: Aloe vera or snake plants can absorb carbon dioxide and replace it with oxygen.

Do Fake Plants Work the Same?

Not sure you have a green thumb? Well, bad news, plastic plants won’t do the trick. In a small study involving 23 participants, researchers put students in a classroom with either a fake plant, a real one, a photograph of a plant, or no plant at all. Brain scans of the participants showed that the students who studied with real, live plants in the classroom were more attentive and better able to concentrate than students in the other groups.

Having plants in your home can provide many benefits. They can relieve stress, boost productivity and focus, promote recovery and improve air quality. It’s important to know which plants are toxic if you have children or pets in the home and which ones may trigger your allergies. At Arrive Real Estate Group, we hope you will grab a plant and make your home an even happier, healthier place to be.