Green is the new black

28 Mar Green is the new black

In most homes you’ll find the old plant, or pot of flowers, but did you realise how beneficial plants can be to your health? From improving air quality, to helping you sleep, plants are a wonderful addition to any home.

Freshen the air in your home:
NASA carried out a study called the Clean Air Study to determine which plants help to clean the air we breathe by eliminating harmful toxins. The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is one of the plants on the list and is known to be one of the easiest house plants to grow!

The spider plant will clean the air in your house of benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene. These are all common volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted into the air in our homes by everyday items such as furniture, carpets and common household appliances.

Help you breathe easy:
Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’) is low maintenance and is one of the toughest of all house plants. It has stiff upright leaves and makes a great statement in any room.

Plants do the opposite of what we do, they take IN carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen. Most plants go through this process during the day, but the snake plant is on of the only few plants to release oxygen into the air at night, making it an ideal plant to have in your bedroom while you sleep.

Get a restful nights sleep:
Getting the recommended seven to eight hours’ sleep per night can be difficult, especially when our minds are busy thinking about what happened during the day and everything we need to do tomorrow.

Studies have shown that the vapour from some plants, specifically lavender (Lavandula) and jasmine (Jasminum) can lead to a more restful sleep. Keep a lavender or jasmine plant by your bed. The smell from these plants induces a state of tranquility that will help you prepare for a good night’s sleep.