“For more than 5,000 years, people have been growing flowers, not only for their beauty, but also for their healing and symbolic value. For decades, various (behavioral) studies have shown that plants and flowers improve our emotional health. Rutgers University in the US demonstrated this in an extensive study at the beginning of this century. Some years later, The University of Central Lancashire came to the same conclusion. Other universities and institutes followed, including the Mizuho Information & Research Institute in Tokyo. This institute recently investigated the psychological and physiological effects of red roses.”
Previous studies have shown that flowers and plants have a positive effect on:
Improved air quality: the presence of flowers and plants improves air quality. Plants convert pollutants into clean oxygen, which contributes to better breathing.
Reducing stress and anxiety: various studies show that flowers and plants have a relaxing effect, which may reduce stress and anxiety.
Improving concentration and cognition: the presence of flowers and plants improves cognitive function.
Improved mood: flowers and plants can give us a feeling of joy and happiness.
In the study by the Mizuho Information & Research Institute in Tokyo, male office workers were exposed to thirty unscented red roses arranged in a cylindrical glass vase for four minutes. A control group was not exposed to flowers.
“The test subjects were exposed to thirty unscented pink roses (Rosa, Dekora) arranged in a cylindrical glass vase for four minutes. In the control group, the test subjects were not exposed to flowers. After the test, the test subjects completed a questionnaire. The order of exposure was compensated between the test subjects. In test subjects who had been exposed to roses, the high-frequency component of heart rate variability was significantly higher than in the control group. Feelings such as ‘comfortable’, ‘relaxed’ and ‘natural’ were also more common among subjects exposed to roses.
“The data from the Japanese study support the presence of physiological and psychological relaxing effects of exposure to flowers (and plants) in office workers.
To me, it’s a no-brainer: more flowers and plants in the office, but also at home!”
Source: Ruud van der Vliet
