Updated: July 14th, 2021
There is a beautiful Chinese proverb which says – life begins the day you start a garden. Plants not just enhance the overall beauty and ambience, but they have been proven to eliminate air pollutants, uplift your moods, boost productivity and eliminate stress and anxiety. And, there are many more amazing benefits of having indoor plants in your home.
You should have indoor plants in your home not just because it adds greeneries and enhances the ambience. Studies have shown that having indoor plants in your home or workplace can help eliminate stress and even boost up moods and productivity.
Whether you are setting up a new home or you are renovating your existing house, you must consider having indoor plants in your home.
Here are some of the most amazing benefits of having indoor plants in your home that you may not even be aware of.
Indoor plants help purify air
I am sure you know that plants also breathe like us. But the difference is that they absorb the harmful carbon dioxide and release fresh life saving oxygen to the environment. While the entire world is struggling to decrease the carbon footprint, the easiest and best solution recommended by the experts is to plant more and more trees.
While we are struggling to breathe fresh air, especially in major cities across the world, by having indoor plants, we can breathe in clean air to a great extent. Indoor plants may not be the best substitute to the air purifiers you might be using at your home. However, by planting the best air purifying indoor plants at your home, you can get rid of the toxic air to a great extent and get to breathe in the fresh air.
Indoor plants can uplift your mood
Another major benefit of having indoor plants in your home is that it helps uplifts your mood. The plants in general have a soothing and calming effect on us. And studies have shown that when you keep plants, water them, touch and smell them, they help decrease blood pressure. Also as you see these plants grow, it helps you distress and feel calmer and relaxed.
Plants reduce stress and anxiety
By touching, feeling and seeing a house plant grow, you feel relaxed and calmer. Naturally, if you are calmer and relaxed, you won’t feel stressed and anxious. But, you don’t have to take my words for that; this is proven by science and studies. According to an study, by looking at the plant placed at your work desk, you can reduce your level of stress and anxiety to a great extent. The study claims that participants who kept a small plant on their desk had lower levels of anxiety and stress at the end of a four-week study, than those who did not have a plant at their desk. So, it’s proven that having indoor plants around you can help eliminate stress and anxiety by a good percentage.
Plants help improve focus
Did you know that when you have potted plants on your desk, you can concentrate better and remain focused? Well that’s what the scientists believe. According to a university study, participants who had potted plants at their desk reported an increase in their concentration, productivity and even in their memory power.
So if you are staying and working from home, having potted plants around you can surprisingly help you in staying focused and concentrating better. Most of us have been working from home due to the recent COVID-19 nightmare. And if you are not able to concentrate properly while working from home, having indoor plants in your home can be the best remedy to stay focused and concentrate better.
Helps maintain humidity levels
It’s believed that viral particles can spread quickly in case the humidity levels are very low in your home. Thankfully, most of the indoor plants release around 97% of the water they are given back into the air and thus it helps maintain good humidity levels and prevent spread of virus. And thus, plants are not just good to create ambience, but they can help you remain healthy by maintaining a good humidity level at your home. To take the full advantage of these beneficial indoor plants, you should keep them at the places where you spend most of your time like your living room, home office and your bedrooms.
Prevent spreading allergens
If you are allergic, then having indoor plants in your home can help prevent spreading of airborne particles and allergens. Allergens might be floating around in your home and that can be a serious health issue, especially during the viral season. By having a few indoor plants in your home, you can easily prevent dust, molds and other airborne particles and allergens to a great extent.
Helps fight loneliness
If you are getting bored and feeling alone at home then having a few outdoor and indoor plants can help deal with loneliness. When you have plants at home, you will be compelled to take care of them. As you spend time with these plants by watering, touching and feeling, you get connected to them. And as you see them bloom and thrive, you feel better and in company with them.
If you are feeling alone and you are looking for a good company, then apart from keeping a pet, you may like to consider keeping outdoor and indoor plants at your home.
How to choose the best indoor plants for your home?
No amount of décor can match the experience of living between live plants. Good quality live indoor plants cannot just enhance the overall appearances, but it also helps uplift your mood and stay happy and healthy. With live potted plants, not only you can decorate your home, but you can enjoy peaceful and calm life.
However, keeping plants at home requires skill, care, attention and most importantly maintenance. Also, different plants require different conditions to survive and thrive. And therefore, you should choose your indoor houseplants very carefully.
Here are a few of the simple tips to choose the best indoor houseplants.
Choose plants that requires minimum care
Keeping houseplants is like keeping pets at home. Once you bring an indoor houseplant, you have to take good care of it. But, all plants are not the same. They require different levels of care and maintenance. And therefore, you are a frequent traveler; you should choose plants that do not require a lot of watering and care. For instance, the cactus plants do not require a lot of care and watering. All that you have to do is use the right kind of container and soil to plant it and it can thrive and grow slowly without much maintenance.
Choose plants according to the environment
There are plants that can grow and thrive in low light. And then, there are plants that require a little exposure to the sunlight. For instance, the Pothos can grow well without light exposure as these plants are native to shady areas of the tropical rain forests. So if you are looking for the best indoor houseplant to keep in your library, the Pothos can be the best choice.
Choose pet friendly plants
If you have pets at home, then you have to be extra careful in choosing the indoor houseplants. There are certain plants that can be toxic to pets like dogs and cats, and thus you should avoid such plants. And the best you can do is to confirm from the nursery that the plants they are suggesting or you have chosen is pet friendly.
Top 5 best indoor plants worth having at your home
There are many variants of indoor plants that you can have at your home. However, here are the most popular indoor plants that you may like to keep in your home.
- Snake Plant – this is the go to plant that can filter benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene and other allergen. The plant can survive all weather and thrive with minimum water.
- Pothos – are one of the best plants that can grow up to 10 feet and add a lot of greeneries to the space. These plants are best suited even for low light spaces in your home or office.
- Bird’s Nest Fern – these plants are also tough and can easily survive and thrive in an indirect light and humid environment.
- Philodendron – shown to filter formaldehyde, these plants look like Pothos and work in hanging pots and to place on a work desk.
- ZZ Plant – these indoor plants are best suited for log light space and thus they are perfect for the bathrooms and other such places.
Can I keep fake plants at home for these benefits?
There are many variants of fake plants available in the market that could be equally pleasing to your eyes. However, these fake plants can’t be the alternative to the real indoor houseplants. Because the real indoor plants can help purify air and maintain a high level of humidity in the air. And thus, it’ll help you breathe fresh air and stay healthy. However, the fake plants can’t be the substitute for live indoor plants.
Final thoughts on houseplants benefits
There are many amazing benefits of having indoor plants at your home or office. With a little bit of investment and a few hours every week, you can manage and maintain these plants and see them thrive and grow at your home. There can be nothing more rewarding than living between plants. If you are setting up your home, then make some space for a few amazing indoor houseplants and let them grow and thrive. The plants won’t just make your space look good and lively, but it’ll help you live a healthy, stress free and happy life.
Do you have plants at your home? Which are your favorite house plants and what are the benefits of having house plants that you can vouch for?
Share your view and experiences by commenting below.
