I think a lot of you will already know that flowers can help your mental health. We all know that flowers can brighten a room and add a splash of colour. Research has also continually suggested that indoor flowers and plants have a positive impact on our wellbeing too.
Reduces Stress
Most people who spend time around nature will often find that it helps to reduce their stress levels. This is because natural settings create a calming atmosphere which in turn can reduce the effects of mental fatigue, slow down your heart rate and lower any anxiety.
A lecturer in psychological interventions at the University of Central Lancashire, Lowri Dowthwaite said that:
When we’re stressed, we release something called cortisol this is the stress hormone but actually engaging with flowers, smelling flowers and being mindful with flowers can actually reduce the levels of cortisol and help you feel more relaxed
Higher Productivity and Concentration
Research has shown that students and employees who had a view of nature were found to be more productive. Not only this, but they also felt more alert, relaxed and more attentive. This in turn resulted in improved productivity.
Increases Creativity
Flowers add colour and excitement to a room. That can be inspiring to those surrounded by floral decorations and encourage an increase in creativity. Flowers also leads to flower arranging which is a popular hobby for those at home as well as a favoured activity of professional florists. Those who do flower arranging find it is a sensory experience that calms the mind and inspires them to get creative.
Improves Quality of Life
Those who have benefited from decreased stress and anxiety as a result of surrounding themselves with flowers and plants also found they had a greater quality of life. This was because these benefits also lead to more positivity, feelings of hope and more relaxation and comfort.
Better Recovery of Patients
A study conducted by Park and Mattson in 2008 confirmed that patients benefited from flowers and potted plants. They found that those with flowers in their room needed less postoperative pain medication and had lower systolic blood pressure. These patients also felt they were less tired and experience a decrease in anxiety.
Bloom & Wild’s “Flower Power” Test
Bloom & Wild conducted an experiment of their own, where they sent flowers to 17 people. They also included a flower arranging task to see how this would affect their mental health. Following the test they had some interesting results:
- 90% found that focusing on something creative helped reduce stress levels
- 68% felt more focused whilst arranging their flowers
- 53% felt more relaxed when arranging their flowers
They also had participants use their Fitbit devices to measure their heart rate before and after the test. They found that, on average, 30 minutes of flower arranging resulted in heart rates dropping by 7.17bpm.
We love flowers and plants for many reasons and the benefits of them on mental health just make them even better. We hope you love them as much as we do. If you need any help with supplies, whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional florist, we have everything that you need. From fresh-cut flowers to essential floral sundries, we carry a range of products and offer a variety of services.