The emphasis on self-care has grown exponentially over the past few years, and for good reason. With all the busyness the world has to offer these days, even down time can feel like more of a chore than a time to truly think about yourself. Self-care involves nurturing yourself in the best way possible, whether it’s through a preferred type of physical exercise, by spending time doing something you love like reading a book or drinking coffee uninterrupted, or even taking a bath with the best smelling salts.
Self-care doesn’t only involve taking yourself out of a particularly stressful environment. When you have no choice but to be in a particular space, there are ways to make it more pleasant like simply adding a few fresh plants. Not only can certain herbs and flowers be major mood lifters, they can help clear your mind and the air around you.
Here are 11 plants, flowers and herbs that can totally help boost your mood!
1. Lavender
Lavender is believed to work for a number of different things from hair loss to wound healing to calming and easing anxious feelings. While there are candles, essential oils and soap made from lavender, the actual flowers will definitely work the best.
2. Basil
Basil not only tastes good, but it can improve a person’s mood pretty quickly. It also contains linalool, a particular compound that is usually found in plants that helps give off its enticing aroma.
3. Roses
There’s a saying that goes “stop and smell the roses!” But there was also a study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology that found that workers that looked at the roses became more relaxed and serene by looking at them rather than smelling them! Of course smelling them can be beneficial too.
4. Lilly of the Valley
Aside from being gorgeous, these Lilly of the Valley flowers actually have various health benefits. They can help reduce the appearance of scars, treat heart disease and boost one’s mood, a fact that was found in a study by garden expert David Domoney. Apparently, these pretty and fragrant flowers are often associated with happy memories as well.
5. English Ivy
The English Ivy is not only pretty to look at, but they are astonishingly simple to take care of. But their true benefit is the fact that they naturally clean the air.
6. Orchids
Orchids tend to grow in more tropical countries but they also bloom all year-round, which means you can still have them on display during the harshest of winters. According to Feng Shui practitioners, they can easily increase the positive energy in a room by just being on display. Why not buy one for yourself and observe just how wonderful you feel soon after? It’s sure to work!
7. Geraniums
Geraniums are incredibly lovely flowers but they aren’t just for putting on display. Aside from their vivid color, their scent – which is similar to the scent of roses – the oil from these flowers are also known to help with depression and reduce blood pressure, while the fresh flowers are believed to promote peace of mind.
8. Rosemary
Rosemary is one of those herbs that has a very distinct smell. It’s also known to strengthen memory, help fight against adrenal fatigue and stress, and promote feelings of inner peace. Plus you can add them to tons of food and truly enhance the taste of your meal.
9. Sweet Pea
Sweet Pea is a very popular scent when it comes to soaps, lotions and colognes. They were also compared to Lilly of the Valley for their similarities. A survey by garden expert Domoney found that most respondents shared that this particular flower made them remember happy childhood memories.
10. Boston Fern
Much like ivy plants, Boston Ferns are very efficient at cleaning and filtering the air by removing at least 1863 toxins every hour. This fact alone gives anyone that owns a pot serenity and genuine peace of mind.
11. Peace Lily
Peace lilies are gorgeous flowers, whose uses are actually even more beneficial than they are pretty. Aside from beautifying a room, they’re incredibly low maintenance, and more importantly, they prevent mildew from forming.
So the next time you decide to spruce up your space to make it look happier, choosing just one of these eleven helpful plants will already boost your mood in more ways than one!
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