Nature is all around us. Chances are you’re within the vicinity of a garden or park full of nature, but most of the time, you’re probably in an office or at home.

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The benefits of nature are right there for the taking, but we have to work, go to school, or attend to other mechanical tasks. If we can’t take a nice noon stroll through a park or walk through the neighborhood trail, we need to bring nature to us.

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Office work or home life naturally (no pun intended) improves with the trusty help of an indoor plant. The benefits of having a plant or gardening do wonders for our mental and emotional health.

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Though tending to a plant might feel like extra or even unnecessary work, the good vastly outweighs the bad. So throw out your fake plants and read how having a plant or gardening can give you a whole new lease on life.

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The Mental Benefits of Having an Indoor Plant

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You’re in your office. The walls are slightly off-white but not enough for it to be considered intentional. Everything in your tiny workplace — the computer, speakers, desk — is mechanical. Inject some color into your office with an indoor plant.

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An indoor plant is a welcome break from the work monotony, and it also brings its own helping of benefits.  

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Reduction in Stress Levels

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Having an indoor plant can reduce your stress levels. A study published by the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that participants who repotted a houseplant instead of completing a computer-based task recorded a lower stress response.

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Participants completing that computer-based task saw a spike in blood pressure and heart rate, even when they were used to computer work.

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Having an indoor plant and all the work that comes with it gives you a small whiff of nature’s restorative powers. It offers a brief reprieve from the mundane routine of everyday life and reminds you of its simple pleasures.

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Increase in Productivity and Creativity

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Indoor plants can stimulate productivity and even creativity. In another computer-based study by the International Society for Horticultural Science, participants were 12% more responsive and productive when in a room with plants present.

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Even the scenery of nature can mitigate stress and burnout. In the same study, participants were more productive when their dorm window overlooked trees and grassy plains than those who had a view of parking lots and sidewalks.

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That’s right: the mere sight of sidewalks and parking lots can make you more susceptible to burnout and overthinking.

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On the creativity side of things, an indoor plant can help open avenues for innovation and creative thinking. A small indoor plant acts as a diversion from the at-times monotonous rhythm of daily work.

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A plant is a living, breathing organism that is always evolving. It’s never the exact same as it was the day or even the hour prior. There’s a reason why taking a walk in nature stimulates creative thinking when you hit a brick wall.

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Side note: take a walk every now and then. Your body and mind need it.

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Now that we’ve talked about how indoor plants can help your internal well-being, let’s look into how having a plant by your side can shape your physical health.

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The Physical Benefits of Having an Indoor Plant

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Indoor plants can do more than help your mental and emotional health. Adding a little green to your life can help make your body feel like a million bucks.

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Jasmine plants contain essential oils that can help lower anxiety levels, in turn lowering blood pressure.

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Valerian plants can also help with insomnia. Its scent is known to induce sleep and promote better sleep.

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Healthy sleep does wonders for our health, ranging from the cognitive to the physical. Insomnia has a profoundly toxic impact on your physical health, increasing your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

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Though an indoor plant won’t erase all the symptoms of insomnia, it’s certainly a step in the right direction. Read our How to Unlock the Secrets to Restful Sleep blog for more tips on adopting a healthier relationship with sleep.

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The Aesthetic Benefits of Having an Indoor Plant

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Not only can indoor plants help you in your health journey, but they’re just plain cool to have around. Sure, cool artwork, family portraits, and even movie posters can be enticing window dressing for your home.

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But an indoor plant? A living, breathing organism that is literally setting the mood for your day? There are fewer cooler things than that.

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How to Care For Your Indoor Plant

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Having an indoor plant is an agreement, a promise that you will take care of it. In turn, the healthy indoor plant will be an aesthetic and restorative part of your home decor.

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Take care of your indoor plant and it will help take care of you.

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The basic in indoor plant care is watering them. Just like with everything health-related, moderation is the name of the game. Water your indoor plant on a consistent but not constant basis.

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Watering it too much will drown the plant. Don’t leave the water just sitting in the soil either, which is a clear precursor to drowning as well.

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Different indoor plants require different kinds of care. Some need more water and sunlight than others. Some plants require no sunlight at all, which is a huge plus for office workers who don’t have the luxury of windows.

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Not all plants require the same care. As such, do some preliminary research on which plant types fit your home or work situation. For beginners, succulent plants are considered the perfect gateway to the plant lifestyle.

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They are relatively low maintenance and fare well in most settings. They can even pass off as fake but still require watering (every two weeks during non-winter weather).

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Conclusion

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Taking care of your indoor plant is a process and won’t yield visible growth for a while. However, just like with everything worth doing, every bit of progress is extremely fulfilling.

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Having an indoor plant gives you responsibility that isn’t too burdensome but still requires careful attention. It offers a literal breath of fresh air in times when you can’t go out and frolic in the forest.

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They also look unique and smell so good that they’re scientifically proven to improve your mood. Adopt an indoor plant and you’ll adopt a better lease on life.

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