Why you should have plants in your home

REASONS TO HAVE PLANTS INSIDE… Indoor plants have many great benefits and can also be used to decorate your home. Photo: Katelyn Morse.
REASONS TO HAVE PLANTS INSIDE… Indoor plants have many great benefits and can also be used to decorate your home. Photo: Katelyn Morse.

Reduce stress

Studies have shown that having plants in your home, or even in your workplace, have a positive effect on the occupants, helping to reduce stress and fatigue and enhance productivity.

Place some plants, particularly those with broad leaves, on your desk at work, in your home office and in any area of your home where children study or do their homework. Any palm, such as bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii) or a weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) will regulate humidity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in your home or office. 

Sleep peacefully

Getting the recommended seven to eight hours’ sleep per night can be difficult, especially when our minds are busy thinking about what happened during the day and everything we need to do tomorrow.

Studies have shown that the vapour from some plants, specifically lavender (Lavandula) and jasmine (Jasminum) can lead to a more restful sleep. Keep a lavender or jasmine plant by your bed. The smell from these plants induces a state of tranquillity that will help you prepare for a good night’s sleep.

Breathe easy

NASA carried out a study called the Clean Air Study to determine which plants help to clean the air we breathe by eliminating harmful toxins. The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is one of the plants on the list. It is one of the most popular and easiest to grow of house plants.

The rubber plant (Ficus elastica) is another plant featured in NASA’s Clean Air Study. They are popular ornamental plants with leathery, glossy oval shaped leaves.