New Stress Reducer :: House Plants

House plants look pretty, fill empty spaces on the floor, and reduce stress. That's right, reduce stress. Being close to house plants makes us feel good. House plants reduce heart rate, blood pressure, and help with skin conductivity. Research has shown that people in planted offices recover from stress more quickly than those in un-planted offices.

No, the nursery with the pink flamingos around the corner from my office did not pay me to write this! It's true, the effect is seen more significantly in situations where the tasks being performed are repetitive or require only low levels of concentration by improving the air quality and people's perception of the building.

Think about it, humans were made to be outside in the woods or jungle, not inside of a cubicle with florescent lighting for eight hours. So, plants in the office help remind our cells there is life outside the four walls of our office.

Plants also give employees a sense of nurturing and caring, and is a highly interactive and a satisfying experience as it relates to our innate desire to take care of something else living.

A number of studies also show plants can reduce the incidence of minor health complaints. Planted buildings have less airborne dust and increased humidity and static electricity. This is mainly because plants are slightly negatively charged compared with their surroundings. This attracts positivity charged dust particles and reduces the number in the air and on the surrounding surfaces. A Norwegian study, after plants were installed in the trail office, the staff complaints about:

*fatigue was reduced by 30%
*dry throats were reduced by 30%
*headaches were reduced by 25%
*coughing was decreased by 40%
*skin irritations were reduced by 25%

So go out and buy a beautiful fern, a prayer plant, or a begonia today and feel better in your office!