You might have heard that #PlantCareIsSelfCare, but it’s more than just a mantra: there is science to back this up. According to researchers Charles Hall and Melinda Knuth at Texas A&M University, people who surround themselves with plants and other forms of natural beauty see a positive impact in many areas of their lives. Based on their study and other information courtesy of @psychologytoday, being around plants can:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌿Reduce stress by speeding up your body’s recovery from mental fatigue, slow down heart rate, reduce high blood pressure and lower anxiety. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌿 Reduce symptoms of depression by increasing subjects’ mood, decreasing incidents of depressive symptoms and increasing memory span. According to a Korean study, patients with depression that experienced cognitive behavioral therapy in a forest-like setting (rather than a hospital) had reduced symptoms and experienced 20%-30% higher rates of complete remission compared to a typically medicated group. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌿 Help improve memory retention. Several studies show that participants who walk through a green space were able to focus better rather than their counterparts that walked through a busy urban area.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌿 Reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Studies of both victims of natural disasters and veterans that focused on introducing nature-based rehabilitation programs and horticultural therapies determined that these groups were better able to control symptoms of PTSD and developed more positive states of mind. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌿Improve symptoms of attention-deficit disorders. In one study, school children diagnosed with ADHD were better able to concentrate in a walk in the park than their peers who walked in a downtown neighborhood. Other studies have found that short nature breaks can help improve the attention span, working memory and cognitive functioning in children with ADD/ADHD.
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