The famous question - “Do plants really benefit the office or is it just a myth?”

Office plants look stylish, add character to your space, are good for your health and make you feel less stressed and definitely more upbeat. The history of indoor plants can be traced back to 1000 BC when the Chinese started to decorate their indoor spaces with plants so that they could be close to nature, all year through. So is this the reason why office plants make you feel better?

Indoor plants are good for your health - Having plants in your office is definitely beneficial as they improve the environment. Plants breathe in carbon dioxide and using photosynthesis they produce oxygen that they give out into the atmosphere. This can help regulate humidity levels and can remove toxins and pollutants from the air.

Indoor plants make you feel better - There have been various scientific studies that have concluded that having plants in your office can improve your concentration and productivity by 12-15%. Many plants are beautiful to look at and because of this they can successfully lower stress and anxiety levels. People who surround themselves with nature are found to have longer attention spans.  

Are good for mental health - Surrounding yourself with office planting is the ideal way to bring the outdoors inside and certainly lifts staff spirits. Surrounding yourself with indoor plants and watching their progress is good for mental health and a very rewarding experience – especially when we can see how healthy the plants are and how they are growing. The simple joy of watching a new leaf on a Monstera (Swiss Cheese Plant) uncurl to reveal perfectly shaped holes in its leaves, assures us that the plant is very happy in its surroundings.

 Plants can speed recovery from illness - There are many different studies taking place to establish if plants really can speed up recovery. Scientists believe this is because of the Biophilic connection which is the positive feelings we experience when we look at blue skies and feel the sun or a light breeze on our skin. Having indoor plants in our office can give us the same feeling which is important - especially during the winter months when we can spend up to 85% of our time indoors.

Plants can help lower blood pressure, lower levels of anxiety and boost the immune system which can all aid recovery from illness.