At CBHS we help you manage your health challenges. We believe in offering you the services, support and tools you need to live your best life.
Our Better Living Programs are available to support eligible members towards a healthier lifestyle. Each Better Living Program is subject to its own eligibility criteria.
Contact us for more information and to confirm your eligibility for a program.
Indoor plants: on-trend, on-sill and great for your health!
Australians spent extended periods of time in their homes during the pandemic. We used our living spaces for relaxing, eating, socialising, sleeping and of course, working.
So, this could be one of the biggest reasons why so many of us stocked up on house plants as a way of creating living, growing sanctuaries in our homes. A lot of us discovered (and rediscovered) the connection between nature and our emotional wellbeing.
Now that the pandemic is over, the indoor plant trend is bigger than ever. In fact, filling your home with some gorgeous greenery can offer your space a lot more than just Instagram eye-candy and home décor beauty! A few well-placed house plants dotted around your home can also be beneficial for your health. And if you love creating an on-trend interior, there’s no doubt you’ve been chasing and collecting the latest “it-plants” – monstera, fiddle-leaf fig and string-of-pearls. However, owning a house plant could be one of the easiest wellness steps you can take.
So perhaps it’s time that you took your ‘watering duties’ seriously! That snake plant or azalea is more than just a splash of green in your living room.
The link between houseplants and your health
My Plant Life Balance project – a homegrown Australian website (!) designed to get us all excited and feeling confident about styling our homes and lives around plants – commissioned a study in 2020 from RMIT University and University of Melbourne on the links between plants and wellbeing.
The study was based on combining 50 years’ worth of plant research and human wellness. The result? The number of plants in your home can have a positive impact on your health – just as much as the range of sizes and types of plants you choose to nurture. In some cases, just the sight of well-nourished, healthy plants can help us deal with stress.
“Did you know? A plant’s ability to purify the air has been well documented by NASA scientists.”
As well as emitting life-giving oxygen, indoor plants also act like ‘sponges’ as they absorb airborne toxins commonly found in modern homes and offices.
There are two contaminants in particular that can be particularly unhealthy:
- Carbon dioxide
The air we breathe out can promote brain fog and give a room that stale and stuffy feeling. - Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
This group of carbon-based chemicals are found in common products such as cleaning agents and paints. They include acetone, benzene and formaldehyde.
VOC gases have been linked to a condition known as ‘sick building syndrome’, which can cause symptoms which include drowsiness, headaches and irritation of the skin, eyes and throat.
In fact, a plant’s ability to absorb pollutants and release more oxygen into the air has been well documented by NASA scientists. They realised very quickly that taking the humble pot plant on their space missions benefited the astronauts who spend long stretches of time living and working in confined spaces. However, some extra research by Australian scientists revealed it was also bacteria in the potting mix that was responsible for taking in the VOCs.
“The sight of well-nourished, healthy plants can help create a sense of calm for your home – and emotional wellbeing.”
How can plants boost your mood?
As well as improve the quality of the air you breathe and add a colourful splash of beauty to your home, house plants can also boost your emotional health by giving you the opportunity to care for a living thing – only you don’t have to take a pot plant out for a regular walk!
What’s more, according to the Plant Life Balance Trend Report for 2020, over the next few years, more and more Australians will be using gardening and ‘plant-keeping’ as a tool for mindfulness.
Horticultural therapist, Toni Salter, elaborates,
"Gardening activities like digging, shovelling and playing with soil can provide instant gratification for your mind. Focusing on an activity like this can be a great distraction from feelings of anxiety and can produce a rewarding end result. It helps to 'stay in the moment' and appreciate the process."
And with mental health issues on the rise in Australia – particularly anxiety and depression – we’re all looking for gentle and healthy ways to reduce our stress levels and cope with the challenges of modern living.
Pop a plant in your home office and increase your productivity levels
There’s even a growing body of evidence that suggests the simple fern you’ve placed on your desk at home can provide a range of health benefits and increased productivity!
John Patykowski from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at Deakin University explains that this is based, once again, on the way plants can improve indoor air quality – and promote clearer thinking.
A trend that’s picking up pace in Aussie homes everywhere is biophilic design.
What is biophilic design?
Based on bringing the joy of the outside, inside and reaping the benefits of a calm and thriving environment, biophilic design has also been called a ‘plant-first’ design solution.
It can range from popping a few pot plants on your windowsill to an entire wall of luscious foliage. Some fans have even set up ‘staircase gardens’ or floral ceilings in their homes.
Need some ‘green inspiration’ to start your indoor plant paradise? This hardy, low-maintenance selection of plants love the indoors and will survive – and thrive – without too much sunlight or water.
1. The Peace Lily has dark, glossy leaves with white flowers. It can grow to 30cm high and is perfect for low-light positions. Just keep the soil moist.
2. Cyclamen is a very decorative plant that blooms with white, pink or purple flowers during the cool seasons.
3. Cast Iron plant is tough by name and tough by nature! An (almost)
indestructible plant, it loves low light and has leaves that can grow up to 50cm.
4. The Air plant is great for terrariums since it doesn’t need soil to thrive: it draws nutrients from moisture in the air. Keep it in a bright – not sunny – spot.
5. Calathea has attractive, patterned foliage that makes this small plant ideal for brightening up a room. Growing best in mid-light, it needs regular watering during Summer.
“Remember to choose plants that are both safe and non-toxic for your children and pets.”
A growing sense of calm and a healthier, beautiful living space
Whether you’re happy watering your home office plants regularly as a calming, mindful ritual or you love getting your hands dirty in the garden as you plant next season’s tomatoes – you’ll be reaping the wellness benefits of connecting more deeply with nature, each day.
Plants – in all shapes and sizes, colours and varieties – can boost the oxygen levels in your home, purify the air you breathe and help create a sense of calm in your living spaces – and your mind.
It’s hardly surprising why the idea of filling our homes with more plants is growing on us!
All information contained in this article is intended for general information purposes only. The information provided should not be relied upon as medical advice and does not supersede or replace a consultation with a suitably qualified healthcare professional.
Sources:
https://www.cbhs.com.au/mind-and-body/blog/embracing-the-natural-flow-of-life-with-meditation
https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2019/cg_7.html
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/gardening/g32579496/best-bedroom-plants/
https://this.deakin.edu.au/career/how-desk-plants-can-improve-your-productivity-while-you-work
https://myplantlifebalance.com.au/