For millions of years we humans and our predecessors evolved surrounded by plants. Nowadays most people in the developed world spend most of their time indoors, either at home or in the workplace. Our everyday environment has changed dramatically over the last few hundred years but our genetic make-up has not. The addition of just a few plants to interiors just makes us feel good - quite apart from their aesthetic appeal. Over the last few years there has been a wealth of scientific research into the benefits of interior plants, some of which you may find surprising.
The process by which plants grow, known as photosynthesis, has been well known for many years. One result of this process is that plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen, this naturally refreshes the air we breathe. In fact the presence of plants on our earth is the only reason why we have oxygen in the atmosphere at all - without plants, life as we know it simply would not exist. More recent research has revealed perhaps less obvious facts:
The indoor environment is 5 to10 times more polluted than the outside; this is because modern buildings are virtually hermetically sealed and so pollutants are trapped inside. Toxic airborne pollutants are given off by a wide range of common items such as furnishings, printers, cleaning materials and many others. These toxins result in a number of health problems such as coughs, headache, sore eyes and skin irritation. Many studies have shown that plants remove these toxins from the air we breathe and that the presence of interior plants reduces the incidence of the symptoms very significantly. In the workplace this results in reduced levels of absenteeism due to illness - in one study conducted in a Norwegian hospital the introduction of plants cut absenteeism by a staggering 60%.
Again in the workplace, a number of studies have shown that the presence of plants significantly increases productivity and levels of concentration, particularly for workers using computers. So, in your workplace, indoor plants work for you!
Another important and often underestimated factor affecting human health is humidity. When humidity levels are too low, individuals are more likely to develop viral infections; when humidity is too high, vulnerability to other diseases increases. Modern interiors generally have relatively low humidity levels due to the effects of central heating and air conditioning. Plants tend to control humidity levels to within the optimum range for human health.
Apart from the physical benefits of house plants, research has also shown a number of psychological effects. The presence of plants appears to have the effect of reducing negative feelings such as stress and anger and promoting a sense of wellbeing and happiness. If you think about it this is perhaps not so surprising given our evolutionary roots.
There is a wealth of information on this subject, and there are a number of independent web sites that contain references and links - just Google "health benefits of indoor plants".
Plants in the home and office don't just look good - they do you good.
Oh - just one more thing - indoor plants also give you something to talk to (but seek medical advice if they talk back!).
The process by which plants grow, known as photosynthesis, has been well known for many years. One result of this process is that plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen, this naturally refreshes the air we breathe. In fact the presence of plants on our earth is the only reason why we have oxygen in the atmosphere at all - without plants, life as we know it simply would not exist. More recent research has revealed perhaps less obvious facts:
The indoor environment is 5 to10 times more polluted than the outside; this is because modern buildings are virtually hermetically sealed and so pollutants are trapped inside. Toxic airborne pollutants are given off by a wide range of common items such as furnishings, printers, cleaning materials and many others. These toxins result in a number of health problems such as coughs, headache, sore eyes and skin irritation. Many studies have shown that plants remove these toxins from the air we breathe and that the presence of interior plants reduces the incidence of the symptoms very significantly. In the workplace this results in reduced levels of absenteeism due to illness - in one study conducted in a Norwegian hospital the introduction of plants cut absenteeism by a staggering 60%.
Again in the workplace, a number of studies have shown that the presence of plants significantly increases productivity and levels of concentration, particularly for workers using computers. So, in your workplace, indoor plants work for you!
Another important and often underestimated factor affecting human health is humidity. When humidity levels are too low, individuals are more likely to develop viral infections; when humidity is too high, vulnerability to other diseases increases. Modern interiors generally have relatively low humidity levels due to the effects of central heating and air conditioning. Plants tend to control humidity levels to within the optimum range for human health.
Apart from the physical benefits of house plants, research has also shown a number of psychological effects. The presence of plants appears to have the effect of reducing negative feelings such as stress and anger and promoting a sense of wellbeing and happiness. If you think about it this is perhaps not so surprising given our evolutionary roots.
There is a wealth of information on this subject, and there are a number of independent web sites that contain references and links - just Google "health benefits of indoor plants".
Plants in the home and office don't just look good - they do you good.
Oh - just one more thing - indoor plants also give you something to talk to (but seek medical advice if they talk back!).
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