Our mental and physical connection to the plant world runs deeper than you might think. Or do you know what effect a plant has on your brain performance?
Scientific evidence that plants affect our mood and even reduce the risk of mental and physical illness continues to mount. One thing is certain: they can relieve depression and anxiety by lowering the level of the stress hormone cortisol.1,2 No wonder we feel at home in forests, gardens and green meadows, says biologist and botanist Sven Bätke. The scientist once wrote about the effect of plants on the brain and psyche for a British scientific journal.
Plants make you creative and motivate you
Creativity crisis? No more ideas? A few indoor palm trees in the office make a huge difference, as a study from 2010 shows. A random sample of 409 employees showed that the plants significantly boosted their creativity and mood.3 This is thanks to the bright colors of the leaves and flowers, explains Patke cover. It stimulates the brain in a unique way.
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Why a potted plant belongs on every desk
Plant researcher Patke says that people who are currently in the testing stages or who work intensely can make a plant their partner: “Houseplants that you’ve bought to spruce up your home or workplace actually help you be more clear-headed.” Studies have shown that a plant on a desk (or any other green plant in sight) increases the ability to focus by up to 20 percent and also improves the brain’s ability to retrieve information by 15 to 20 percent.4 How that “super brain effect” can be explained in part by the fact that the leaves reduce carbon dioxide concentration and thus improve air quality. If the carbon dioxide concentration exceeds a certain value, there is a risk of headache, fatigue and dizziness.
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Without plants in the room, we make poorer decisions
Another study found that having large amounts of carbon dioxide indoors also makes us make poor decisions. This can have serious consequences in everyday life, such as at work. “Friend Plant” can help. In some cases, houseplants reduce indoor carbon dioxide concentrations from 2,000 ppm to about 480 ppm in less than an hour.5
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The best clear cuttings plants for the workplace
By the way, some varieties have a better refreshing effect than others. Common houseplants that experts say are effective at removing carbon dioxide include blue star fern (Phlepodium aureum), weeping fig (Benjamin fig tree), spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) And Anthurium– Species such as flamingo flower.
The love of plants is instinctive
“People are energetic, which means we tend to seek connection with nature and plants,” says Patke. Plants “work” in a certain way with the brain. “They ensure the release of happiness hormones like endorphins. We are connected to them.” Plants do a lot for us and our health. It is not a luxury, as the botanical researcher stresses in conclusion. Rather, it is vital. “It is not surprising that the word ‘plant’ is translated as ‘those who take care of us’ in many of the indigenous languages.”
sources
- 1. Lee, MS.., Lee, J. Bum-Jin Park, B.-J. & Miyazaki, Y (2015). Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: a randomized crossover study.. Journal of Physiological Anthropology.
- 2. Chandrasekhar, K., Kapoor, J., Anishetty, S. (2012). A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of a highly concentrated full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian Journal of Psychiatry.
- 3. Dul, J. & Ceylan, C. (2010). Work environments for employee creativityAnd Work environment
- 4. Boller D, Buyong Ali LM, Knight TM, et al. (2010). A systematic review of the evidence for additional health benefits from exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health
- 5. Sevik, H., Cetin, M., Guney, K., Belkayali, N. (2017). Effect of house plants on indoor carbon dioxide2. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
