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Decorating your home with plants won’t just brighten up your home, it will literally make you healthier. Plants offer numerous benefits for our well-being, the most notable of which are that they literally clean the air around them, a must for urban dwellers in busy, polluted cities.
For many of us who have to cope with the hustle and bustle of city life, it is especially important that our homes are a space for mental relaxation and recuperation. From improving the quality of your air to boosting energy and focus, investing in potted plants is becoming more popular than ever. Some studies have even found that indoor plants provide physical recovery-boosting qualities, can decrease the chances of getting ill and lower anxiety and stress levels.
While there are many gorgeous plants out there, we’ve narrowed our must- have list to three. Below, we share the best indoor plants to green your home and clear your air.
1. Green Mist: Eucalyptus in The Shower
Hanging a bundle of the eucalyptus plant in the shower can help relieve symptoms of flu and cold-related illness. The gorgeous scent produces a real spa-vibe to your shower routine as the herb’s essential oils are released by the heat and steam of your shower. Eucalyptus doesn’t just smell good – the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of its natural oils can help relieve congestion, boost mood and mental clarity. This rejuvenating plant also comes with the bonus of brightening up your bathroom with some greenery!
Fresh eucalyptus can often be found in local flower shops or in-store bouquets, and can last for around a week. You can simply tie a bundle together with twine and secure it around your showerhead, just make sure that the plant is not placed directly under the water stream.
2. Snake Plant to Purify Your Living Room: NASA Approved
We spend most of our days out in the city breathing polluted air, making it extra important for our homes to help give our lungs a bit of rest. Indoor air can often be filled with harmful pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide among many others. This is where the snake plant comes to the rescue – it is THE NASA-recommended plant for air purifying.
According to this NASA study, the snake plant – also known by its latin name Sanseviera – improves indoor air quality by removing an unbelievable 107 known air pollutants. It also produces and releases oxygen into the air throughout the night, making it the perfect plant to inhabit your living room and bedroom.
Good news for those who have a poor record of plant keeping: the snake plant thrives in just about any climate, and can go for weeks without water. But for those with pets, it is important to keep this plant out of their reach, as it can be toxic if ingested.
3. Succulent for Your Desk: Work Wellness
Succulent plants have become a hit in recent years, particularly for workspaces. There are many reasons for this, most especially that the popular plants are incredibly low maintenance and boast numerous benefits for wellbeing. Some of these include helping you breathe better by releasing oxygen throughout the night, removing toxins from the air, and helping to keep respiratory illnesses at bay. They contribute to reducing cold and flu-like symptoms, and can even prevent anxiety and fatigue.
Perhaps the most impressive of all is their ability to help you focus, boost brain capacity, and attention. A study at the University of Exeter found that memory, productiveness and work-related functioning in students and employees improved in spaces decorated with small plants such as cacti (aka cactuses, a type of succulent).
All these reasons make succulents a great Insta-worthy addition to upgrade your workspace (and your productivity)!
All pictures courtesy of Pexels.
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