Did you know that houseplants can reduce your stress and boost your mood? According to recent research, caring for houseplants helps connect us to nature and relieves our anxiety, which makes us happier overall.
Even if plants didn’t reduce our stress levels, they’d still be worth keeping around purely for their aesthetic appeal. Looking at something beautiful, like a nice sunset or a pretty flowering plant, makes us smile.
And simple pleasures like that are one of the keys to lasting happiness!
Research has shown that the happiest people appreciate the little things in life. So surrounding yourself with simple pleasures that bring you joy like houseplants can greatly increase your happiness!
That’s just a quick overview of why houseplants make you happier—let’s take a closer look!
Caring For Houseplants Is Fun
We think one of the reasons why caring for houseplants reduces stress is because it’s fun! Tending to houseplants is a super underrated hobby. Watching your houseplants grow can be pretty exciting, especially if you’re propagating brand new plants or growing them from seeds.
Collecting plants is also really fun, just like collecting stamps or rare coins or baseball cards. There are so many unique varieties of plants to discover and collect, so you’ll never run out of plants you want to buy. You might run out of space in your house or backyard, though!
Houseplants Make Your Home Extra Cosy
Studies have shown that people feel more comfortable in rooms with plants than in ones without any greenery, which isn’t surprising! We already knew that houseplants make indoor spaces feel cozier.
It’s hard to explain why, but rooms with plants just feel warmer and more inviting. Putting a houseplant in a room without a lot of decorations instantly makes it feel less spartan and bare. And if you put plants in a room that’s already decorated nicely, it really ups the cozy factor!
According to the study, small green plants were the most preferred kind. So pick up some small green succulents and cacti from your local garden center and spread them throughout your home!
Houseplants Boost Your Productivity
Did you know that keeping houseplants on your desk at work can boost your productivity?
Two recent studies showed that people surrounded by plants had better attention and concentration than people sitting at empty desks.
If you can concentrate better, you can get a lot more done at work and finally get that raise or promotion you’ve been wanting! How’s that for boosting your happiness?
Houseplants Help You Breathe Easier
Studies have shown that houseplants have a variety of health benefits. And since health is an important factor in overall happiness, keeping some plants around that can boost your health is a good idea!
One of the biggest ways plants keep people healthier is by purifying indoor air. Believe it or not, indoor air can be even more polluted than outdoor air! Household products like cleaners, personal care products, paints, furniture, and carpets can all release toxins called volatile organic compounds into the air.
Because your home is such a contained, enclosed space, these toxins can build up inside your home more than they do outside. High levels of these compounds might cause symptoms like headaches, eye irritation, and dizziness.
Luckily, NASA figured out that certain houseplants like peace lilies, snake plants, and Boston ferns are really good at removing these toxins. Most of them will be removed just by having a few plants in your home. Phew, that’s a relief!
Houseplants Connect You With Others
One of the biggest ways that our houseplants have made us happier is by connecting us with others! There’s a huge community of plant lovers online. There are tons of houseplant forums that we love to hang out in because they give us a chance to share our love of plants, chat with interesting people, and make new friends.
Houseplants can help you make real-life connections too. Have you seen that “introverted but willing to discuss plants” shirt that’s been making the rounds online? We bet it’s helped a lot of introverts make some new friends!
How have your houseplants made you happier? We want to know! Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.