Why NASA is using their limited budget to study houseplants is beyond me, but I am glad they are. It turns out they have discovered that your plants are improving your health. So if you do not have a leafy friend in a pot on your desk at work or the table at home, get yourself a plant and help yourself feel better.
According to the NASA study, most common plants improve the air quality in your home. They found that plants can remove over 80 percent of the air toxins in your environment in just one day. This information makes me want to fill my home with ferns, other flora and foliage. The toxins floating around in the air we breathe such as ammonia, carbon monoxide, trichloreothytene, and formaldehyde are absorbed by our living plants.
Plants increase the level of humidity in your home as well. They also absorb dust, which is good news for your lungs and respiratory system. Norwegian researchers found that people who live and work around plants are less likely to suffer from prolonged coughs and colds.
In addition to keeping our air quality healthier, plants are also good for our health because they make us happier. They tend to help us feel more positive and a little more relaxed. Think about how you feel in a well-maintained garden. I know I feel calm. Studies have demonstrated that hospital patients who have a window facing a garden tend to recover faster than patients with other views. Maybe send a live plant instead of flowers the next time a friend or family member is in the hospital.
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