There’s a good chance that you’ve heard about one or two of the benefits of having indoor plants within a home or office environment. Most people can point out that plants produce oxygen while taking up carbon dioxide, which creates a more healthful space, for instance.
However, the connection between indoor plants and human wellness goes so much deeper than that. In this post, we’ll explore some of the surprising ways that plants support human vitality within an indoor space.
Removing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Plants do more than provide us with fresh oxygen and remove CO2. They can also clean up the air we breathe by removing dangerous VOCs. Multiple studies have documented this capability, and one of the most recent found that certain plants can remove dangerous compounds like:
- Benzene
- Toluene
- Formaldehyde
- And many others
We call the process that achieves this “biofiltration” or “phytoremediation.” Plant leaves and roots absorb VOCs and lock them away, creating a healthier indoor environment.
Boosting Creativity and Productivity
Whether we’re talking about a home office or a traditional workplace, indoor plants can provide a much-needed boost to creativity and productivity. At least one study found that the presence of indoor plants had a measurable impact on the mood of people within the space, as well as their ability to complete tasks promptly.
However, these benefits weren’t confined to just a single study. One conducted in 2004 found that having plants in a room boosted a person’s ability to make creative word associations and another study in 2007 found that the presence of plants reduced illness while increasing workplace performance.
Improvements in Mental Health
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in five adults in the US struggle with some type of mental health challenge. These range from depression to anxiety disorder and everything in between. And while many different medications and treatment modalities offer help, horticultural therapy (indoor gardening) offers benefits that apply across the spectrum, including the following:
- An increased sense of well-being
- A reduction in symptoms of depression
- Reduced anxiety
- Improved mental cognition in dementia patients
Help in Healing from Illnesses
Everyone suffers from illness or injury at some point. For many people, the road to recovery can be quite long. With plants present within an indoor environment, recovery may not take as long. A review conducted in 2002 found that people recovering after surgery healed faster when indoor plants were present in their immediate environment. And while the study primarily covered patients within a hospital setting, the same should be true within a home environment.
Explore the ShopTropicals Selection
Interested in exploring the health benefits offered by keeping plants in your indoor spaces? Whether for your home office, other areas of your home, or the workplace, the right plants can offer a boost to your health, healing, and productivity, while reducing your exposure to volatile organic compounds. ShopTropicals brings the beauty and healing power of nature right into your environment. Explore our options and choose the plants that work best for your needs.
ShopTropicals are plant enthusiasts that can transform any space to create a sense of well-being with tropical plants. We partner with growers across the US and Canada to secure thousands of high-quality plants. We sell all kinds of tropical plants, and we even offer design, installation, and services to local communities in South Florida. Come with us and live the jungle - you can find our main website here or check out our Plantscape Services page to find out how ShopTropicals can create a lush plantscape experience for you.