Recently I have been completely obsessed with houseplants. For a whole month, I bought a new plant every week. I bought them fertilizer, new pots, anything I could to keep them healthy and growing. When I fill up my water bottle, I know my plants will be drinking more of it than me. But why? Was this craze fueled by a desire for a better oxygenated indoor life? Or to somehow resolve the everyday stress of student life? Turns out, it was probably a combination of both.
Houseplants and The Physical Environment
You may already know that humans inhale O2 and exhale CO2 . You may also know that plants intake CO2 and output O2. This makes humans and plants the perfect pair! It turns out that too much CO2 is harmful for us too! Short term, too high a concentration of CO2 can cause sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, and dry eyes. Long term, it has even been linked to obesity (Gubb, 2018). Another issue our indoor environments present for us is lower than optimal humidity, which plants can also work to solve! (Gubb, 2018) Low humidity can cause skin and eye irritation, dry sinuses, and increased flu transmission (Gubb, 2018). While it’s hard to say exactly how much plants offset these effects due to the negative impact on plant gas exchange rates from being indoors, we do know that plants help combat these issues.
Houseplants and Psychology
Believe it or not, houseplants can help support your mental health too! According to one study, people in offices with plants were more attentive to tasks (Yeo, 2020). Another study showed that plants promote creativity, reduce stress levels, and create positive feelings and comfort (Yeo, 2020). These are huge benefits for something as cheap and low maintenance as a house plant.
My Experience With Plants
When it really comes down to it, these are definitely not the real reasons for my houseplant craze, but they are real effects of it. Just having them around (and giving them names), has given me something else to care for in my day to day life, much like a pet. This is something I think a lot of college students, and many others, are missing from their lives. For me personally, my window faces the sunrise. Having plants who are reliant on that sun in the morning has helped me get out of bed to open my blinds for them. They also give me something to focus on: I’ve gotten into the habit of checking on each one before bed every night to see if I notice anything. For them, it’s to make sure I catch things like yellowing leaves that could indicate a need for something early. But for me, it’s become a sort of ritual, or part of my routine before bed. I feel like this has helped me get to sleep faster. For anyone reading this, I would encourage you to try it out yourself. Maybe start with one little plant, something easy like a succulent, and develop your own rituals around it. See how it helps you!
References
Gubb, C., Blanusa, T., Griffiths, A., & Pfrang, C. (2018). Can houseplants improve indoor air quality by removing CO2 and increasing relative humidity? Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 11(10), 1191–1201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-018-0618-9
Yeo, L. B. (2020). Psychological And Physiological Benefits Of Plants In The Indoor Environment: A Mini And In-Depth Review. International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 8(1), 57–67. https://doi.org/10.11113/ijbes.v8.n1.597
