Caring for Houseplants Could Help You Reduce Stress and Even Sleep Better

You've no doubt heard about self-care — aka the foundation of contemporary wellness practices. But true self-care should be viewed as more than an occasional spa day or taking the chance to treat yourself. Instead, it should be an effort to incorporate wellness into all parts of your life, to support your physical and mental health by creating an environment where you thrive — especially in your home, the place where you spend much of your quality time. And plants can be part of that effort.

The science behind the benefits of indoor plants is solid. Just having a few green and growing things around, even impossible- to-kill air plants or hardy succulents, provides a huge boost to your autonomic nervous system, activity and creativity levels and general mental health. Here's a closer look at the benefits of bringing greenery into your interior spaces, and why introducing a few plants into your space might provide the perfect tool for practicing self-care.

The Magic of Fresh Air

The research is clear: Simply heading outside for a daily walk has a significant impact on your quality of life. It gives us an opportunity to breathe in the fresh air of the outdoors, heightening the oxygen levels in our blood and strengthening our physical health. In their book, the Perlmutters break down some of the scientifically studied benefits of spending time in nature, which include:

• Boosted immune system functioning, with an increase in count and activity of the body's natural killer cells
• Reduced blood pressure
• Heightened coping abilities for stress and less stress in general
• Improved moods
• Increased mindfulness
• Increased ability to focus
• Accelerated recovery from surgery or injury
• Increased energy
• Improved sleep

To put it simply, the benefits of plants in the outside world are abundant, so why not cultivate some of that goodness indoors?

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