5 best indoor plants to improve your health

Going green is not only about purchasing eco-friendly products and being less wasteful… it can also literally mean adding some green into your daily life!

Bringing houseplants to your home can be a great way to brighten up your living space, AND improve your health.

Here are some of the BENEFITS of having houseplants:

• Cleaner Air

Plants can act as natural air purifiers, helping to rid the air in your home of toxins. No matter how fancy of an air filtration system you have at home or in the office, none have the ability to create oxygen!

In short, plants help to keep the AIR MOVING and filter out the bad stuff, like airborne molds, bacteria, and chemicals.

• Reduce Stress

Studies have shown that by having houseplants around, patients in hospitals had decreases in blood pressure and reported lower levels of pain.

• Better Sleep

Certain plants can give off a SOOTHING effect that will ease the body and mind, making it easier to get the beauty sleep you deserve, and wake up feeling fresh and relaxed.

• Fight Colds

By reducing the amount of toxins in the air, as well as providing humidity that helps to REDUCE DUST, plants can help prevent colds and coughs.

Of course just having a plant doesn’t fully protect you — make sure you’re always practicing good hygiene like washing your hands and keeping your fingers away from your face.

• Boost Memory & Productivity

Studies performed in school and office settings have found that the presence of plants increased creative performance and problem-solving skills. Keeping a houseplant has also been shown to help with memory retention.

Still considering which indoor plant to choose?

1. Aloe Plant

You may have put aloe gel on your skin to soothe a burn before, but the plant has a number of healing properties.

It does a great job of cleaning the air, and you'll even get an indicator the plant is doing its job as the leaves will display brown spots from absorbing pollutants in the air.

BENEFITS

• Clears pollutants

• Monitors air quality

CARE LEVEL

Moderate

2. Snake Plant

Don’t let the name scare you, the snake plant is another easy one to care for, and especially good for filtering out toxins. It has the ability to absorb excessive amounts of carbon monoxide, and some studies have found it to decrease stress levels.

BENEFITS

• Filter out toxins

• Controls allergies

CARE LEVEL

Easy

3. Chinese Evergreen

This leafy plant is a beautiful addition to any home or office, and does a great job of filtering out pollutants and toxins.

**Not a good plant to keep in the house if you have pets though!

BENEFITS

• Improves air quality

• Increase mood & productivity

CARE LEVEL

Easy

4. Golden Pothos

The pothos plant can purify the air and is great for eliminating any funky odors you may have going on…

It’s also known to alleviate eye irritation after long days of staring at your screen. It’s a breeze to take care of, surviving in low light and drought-like conditions — if you’re a less experienced plant-parent this one is for you.

BENEFITS

• Increases humidity to fight dust

• Absorbs CO2

CARE LEVEL

Easy

5. Moth Orchid

This beautiful orchid slowly releases moisture into the air, helping reduce dust and keeping coughs, colds and sore throats away.

While it has great health benefits, the moth orchid is also one of the most strikingly beautiful of plants, and its vibrant color is sure to brighten up your mood on any day.

BENEFITS

• Improve air quality

• Reduces stress

CARE LEVEL

Advanced

What plants do you already keep at home?

Article was written by Olivia Plotnick