Add a plant and perform better and reduce stress in a green environment

Adding plants in your interior: Reducing stress and improving performance in a green environment

Plants is any of the vast number of living things within the biological kingdom Plantae. These organisms are considered to have limited movement and can produce their own food. Since the beginning of time, plants have been sources of various products, such as food, raw materials, pollution control and the likes. It has been known that oxygen supply in our planet came from two sources: atmosphere and plants.

It has been known that humans benefit widely from plants. You need not be a biologist or psychologist to know that plants have numerous benefits beyond their aesthetic factor. For instance, plants help restore the mind from mental fatigue of work and/or studies, from which the performance would improve; plants seen in the building or even in the backyard can promote calming and serene environment. This encourages learning and alertness to the individual; green spaces provide places for physical activities that help alleviate symptoms of ailments such as dementia, stress and depression; increase development of cognitive, behavioral and emotional aspects in children, and likewise, can reduce the symptoms of ADD in children.

You and the Environment

For many years, humans have interacted with the environment. Due to our continuous interaction with the environment, the human brain is developed partly because of the reaction to the stimuli in our surroundings. The brain is the only organ in the body that still undergoes maturation after birth. It has been observed that the presence of green plants promote positive emotions, help in cognition, and promote recovery from mental fatigue.

Improvement of Cognitive Function with Plants

As an office worker, you stay indoors, tinkling with your computer for not less than eight hours a day. Which, for most individuals, is exhausting and stressful. Not to mention the stress you are getting due to your colleagues, and office environment. Studies have shown that plants within the office premises provide pleasant and healthy work environments. It was observed that work performance of office workers improved provided that indoor plants were placed inside the work area. Employee morale improved, absenteeism was reduced due to decrease in the incidence of illnesses and workers became more efficient with their work. Studies have also shown that employees who have plants within the reach of the eye are more satisfied with their work, making them more patient and less frustrated.

This is also true with school children. Students were more productive when plants were added in their classrooms. In addition to that, it was observed that students have improved performance in their creative task. This is due to the fact that plants provide inspiration and stimulates the creativity of children. Likewise, students who have views of plants perform better in exams as compared to those who do not have visual access to plants.

Plants can be stress relievers

Stress can be defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstance. Stress can lead to various pathological conditions such as depression, anxiety, exhaustion, and fatigue syndromes. These conditions do not have any age limit. They can happen to anyone and can likewise affect the mental well being of a person. Studies have shown that people who engage themselves in physical activities decreased their levels of stress and studies have also shown that when individuals are exposed to parks or green plants, the less stress they become.

This is also true with depression wherein just like stress, this can be experienced at any age. Symptoms of depression can also be alleviated by exercise, improved socialization, and interaction with greenery. These are the reasons why in reducing the symptoms of depression and outdoor walk in green spaces is better as compared to indoor walk and exercise.

Adding indoor plants promote health and well-being to humans

People who are around plants help in promoting good concentration and improved memory. This is true to both home and the workplace. It has been observed in studies that performance is better while exposed in nature. Tasks were performed with increased accuracy and better quality results as compared to those who are not exposed to nature. These are the reasons why workplaces and homes keep ornamental plants inside.

Decorating your indoors with plants

There are various ways on how to decorate your interior with plants, thus having the benefits promoted by indoor plants:

1. Fill out the empty areas such as certain corners of your home;

2. You can still have indoor plants even of the space is limited by hanging them. In this way, you can utilize and maximize your area and the remaining spaces in addition to having aesthetic benefits;

3. Use plants as wall design;

4. Adding indoor plants as centerpiece design;

5. Using plants as dividers;

6. Creating a Zen garden in the workplace and homes;

7. Adding plants in the hallways