Houseplants Benefits

Decorating indoor spaces with plants is a practice traced back to Egypt and Pompeii. This practice was maintained over the years in different cultures and contexts. Particularly, at the end of the 20th century, it became even more popular to have plants in houses, offices, museums, restaurants, etc. In other words, for more than 2000 years, plants have played an important role in decoration, harmonization, and the appreciation of nature from home. But why is it necessary to maintain this closeness with nature, and what are the benefits of such contact?

Being a species that evolved in natural environments, we have an instinctive and cognitive tendency to seek areas that allow direct contact with nature. More specifically, it has been shown that the color green, obtained in plants by chlorophyll, reduces depression and stress. Consequently, having non-monochromatic environments that diversify the variety of colors inside your house, is fundamental to generating a healthy environment. It has been shown that indoor spaces decorated with plants suppress sympathetic nervous system activity and diastolic blood pressure, resulting in feelings of comfort and calm. 

Indoors plants have also been proven to be beneficial because they create a more diverse microbiome. This means that houseplants allow us to have direct contact with the bacteria and microorganisms that naturally inhabit them. This interaction makes our immune system respond to these microorganisms and strengthens our immunity. For this reason, taking good care of the plants by cleaning their leaves, checking that the substrate is moist, placing them in spaces where they get the right amount of sunlight, and checking for the presence of pests, can benefit the plant. By doing this, it is possible to protect and care for the plants and supervise the microbiome with which they interact. Taking care of your plants also generates a greater sense of responsibility and closeness to nature. 

To summarize, it is possible to argue that having plants inside enclosed spaces is advantageous for mental and physical health because they reduce stress and allow direct interaction with other microbiomes. In addition, they increase the sense of responsibility and help maintain closeness to nature. So maybe it’s time to make your home a little greener and get closer to nature!