many of you know, i’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to house plants. i wouldn’t say it’s a jungle in here, but i love decorating with unusual plants. it brings a sense of the outdoors inside, freshens up the space and gives a good punch of color to the decor. little did i know, the benefits to keeping a few house plants are immense! after doing a little research, here are a few of my favorite benefits.

- plants can help fight colds: indoor plants have been shown to reduce cold-related illnesses by more than 30% (wow!)- mainly due to their effect of increasing humidity levels and decreasing dust (a whole different favorite benefit!).

- plants help to remove airborne contaminants: as we breathe the same air again and again (potentially inhaling harmful substances that are trapped inside), indoor plants help to remove pollutants including, VOCs, formaldehyde and more!

- plants can just flat-out make you happy: keeping plants inside can reduce stress and contribute to a feeling of well-being, making you calmer and more optimistic. studies have even shown that patients who face a garden view in their hospital rooms often recover more quickly than those facing a wall.

- plants can help to decrease your blood pressure: people with plants in their homes have less stress, which directly contributes to a lower blood pressure.

- plants can offer healing treatments: some indoor plants, like aloe, can be applied to skin and offer pain relief.

- plants can prevent allergies: exposing children to plants early in life can help them build a tolerance and immunity to that allergen. it basically works like a custom allergy shot, naturally.

- plants can make your brain work better: potted plants and flowers can improve your idea generation, mood, and more (i recommend having some right next to your creative work space!).

- plants provide clean air: in addition to filtering chemicals, plants also put out clean air, improving the air quality around them, ahhhh.

- plants help to clear congestion: eucalyptus especially can help clear phlegm and congestion from your system (eucalyptus is often found in congestion remedies, as well).

- plants are natural humidifiers: save some money and instead of buying a humidifier machine, just bring in a plant or two!

to see more of my indoor plants, you can read about how i made my diy terrariums, how i like to plot my planters and yes, how i even went a little plant crazy.

for further juicy reads on the benefits of having indoor plants, here are a few nifty articles: health benefits to house plants, eliminate indoor pollutants, benefits to indoor plants, nasa research of plants, green plant benefits and the best plants for improving indoor air quality.

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