Home decor with health benefits? Yes, it does exist!
Not only do plants add a pinch of bright color to any space, they also clean the air, act as natural humidifiers, as well as offer a slew of cognitive, psychological, and physical benefits.
As many of you might know, humans take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Especially in small spaces, this air filtration quality can be essential in improving sleep, productivity, and increase morale. (They're great for offices too!)
We'll introduce a few plants that are great for the indoors for certain scenarios. See if these apply to you!
You want to improve air quality in your bedroom at night
The Snake Plant, otherwise known as Mother-in-Law's Tongue, is excellent for the bedroom for one major reason - it converts carbon dioxide to oxygen at night. For optimal air filtration, having 6-8 of per person is recommended, but even with an addition of one or two would give a space an immediate improvement.
Snake plants are easy to care for - they require indirect sunlight and little watering. Just make sure that there's free-flowing soil! You don't want rot.
Your room is too dry or you get sick often
Especially during the winter, homes get really dry. Plants release 97% of the water they draw in through a process of transpiration, when moisture is drawn from the roots to a plants' leaves, where it evaporates. This releases vapor into the air, which creates humidity.
Multiple plants in a room together, like in the photo above, is most ideal to raising humidity in a room.
A recommended plant is the Cast Iron Plant, named for its hardiness and ability to withstand all sorts of scenarios - from cold weather, to over or underwatering. The cast iron plant also thrives under low-light conditions, so its perfect for rooms with little sun and winter days.
You forget to water your plants often
No green thumb? No problem! There's a plethora of plants that can survive neglect or less than optimal living conditions.
Of course, succulents are the first to come to mind. The Aloe Vera plant pictured above is one of the most versatile plants to have around. Not only does it thrive in dry soil, its leaves contain a gel that has moisturizing and soothing properties that are good for treating burns.
The Jade Plant is another houseplant that is easy to care for. As long as it has full sunlight and receives water when the top layer of soil is dry, your jade plant can last you for a lifetime.
For more indoor houseplants, check out our Pinterest board, where we've pinned many additional resources that you can read.
