Houseplants do more than add color to a living space. There are tangible health benefits which come with their ownership. That is because houseplants breathe in a way that is opposite to us.
When you breathe in deeply, you take in oxygen. When you expel air from your lungs, you’re getting rid of carbon dioxide. Plants breathe in by converting the carbon dioxide into oxygen that they expel.
This effect is so powerful, in fact, that the presence of houseplants in a single room can remove about 90% of air toxins in just one day.
Having more oxygen available to you indoors is just one of the available benefits that houseplants provide. Here are some of the other surprising benefits.
Houseplants Release Water Vapor
The average houseplant releases almost all of the water it takes in as moisture vapor. This increases the humidity of the air in the room where they are kept. If you have several houseplants in the same room, then the higher humidity levels can help to ease respiratory conditions that are triggered by dry conditions.
Homes with multiple houseplants in each room may also reduce the incidents of sore throats, dry coughs, dry skin, and colds throughout the year.
Houseplants Help You Breathe Easier
That extra oxygen provided to the room helps you be able to breathe easier. Some plants, lick succulents and orchids, will do this all night long, even when the process of photosynthesis ceases. If you’re looking for a fresher room environment, consider adding several succulents to your room. It may help you to sleep better, reduce your stress levels, and help you relax after a tough day.
Houseplants Speed Human Recovery Rates
Houseplants help the body to heal after an injury or a surgery. When hospital patients have houseplants in their room, their recovery time is faster when compared to patients without houseplants. People around houseplants usually have lower blood pressure, a lower pulse, lower anxiety levels, and require less pain medication during recovery.
Having houseplants around can even reduce the severity and number of migraines for some people. It may also decrease feelings of fatigue which may occur.
Houseplants Improve Focus
If you struggle to stay focused at work, you might want to invest into a houseplant to help you out. People are up to 70% more attentive when they are in a room with houseplants compared to being in a room without one. Rooms are defined by the mind, so if you work in a cubicle area, that still counts as a room for some. Put a houseplant on your desk to maximize the potential benefits.
For best results, you should have about one large houseplant for every 150 square feet of space. To purify the air of a home, you’ll need one large houseplant for every 100 square feet. You can substitute one large houseplant for two small ones to create similar results.
Houseplants are beautiful. They can also do beautiful things for our health. That is why purchasing several of them is an investment that makes sense.