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YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

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Filling your house with plants increases joy and life expectancy, study says

Filling your house with plants increases joy and life expectancy, study says

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How to tell if you're sick enough to take the day off

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This is how many plants you should have per room

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This is how many plants you need per room for the biggest health benefits

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The music you play at home can affect how your plants grow

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5 reasons why your terrarium is dying

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This pot will tell you when your plant needs sun or water

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6 air-purifying plants that are safe for pets

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Why you should add charcoal to your pot plants

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How to care for your fiddle leaf fig

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This cheap indoor plant hack has gone viral

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Air purifying plants: 20 of the best for your home

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Indoor plants for stressed out people

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The best way to get rid of gnats in indoor plants

  1. Home
  2. Better Life

Adding this one thing to your work desk reduces your chance of illness

No more sick days. - by Lucy Bode
  • 28 Jun 2019
Adding this one thing to your work desk reduces your chance of illness
Getty

ICYMI, indoor plants are having a bit of a moment right now in the workplace. They max productivity, up creativity and make your desk look Pinterest perfect. But there’s one major benefit to greening out your space: keeping your health in check.  

“Beneficial bacteria on indoor plants and in their soil are an important addition to the office, stabilising the ecology of the built synthetic environment,” researcher Danica-Lea Larcombe writes for The Conversation.

“[It] could also help to avoid outbreaks of pathogens by balancing the complex network of the ecosystem. A wholesome balance may reduce the indigence of viral illness and the number of sick days among staff.” 

In a study across 51 offices by the Agricultural University of Olso, Norway, those that contained plants had a 30 percent reduction in reported sore throats, 40 percent in coughs and 30 percent in headaches. General fatigue was also reduced by up to 20 percent.

Woman at desk
Getty

And that’s not the only reason to fork out for a fiddle-leaf fig. 

Plants can clear the air of toxic substances that are commonly found in office furnishings and cleaning products (looking at you, ammonia). 

“Ideally, you want plants that will ‘scrub’ the air of pathogens, improve the office’s mix of bacteria, and survive in low light with little care,” adds Danica.

The top air-purifying picks? Areca palm, aloe vera, English ivy, Boston fern, peace lily, weeping figs and lady palms. 

This article first appeared on Women's Health

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Lucy Bode
Lucy Bode
Lucy Bode is a writer, social media guru and resident woo. A long black lover and foodie at heart, she considers peanut butter an hourly staple and believes chardonnay is the superior drop. When she's not at the beach, barre or yoga studio you'll find her coming up with new and improved ways to kill her unkillable houseplants.

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YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Filling your house with plants increases joy and life expectancy, study says

Filling your house with plants increases joy and life expectancy, study says

How to tell if you're sick enough to take the day off

How to tell if you're sick enough to take the day off

This is how many plants you should have per room

This is how many plants you should have per room

This is how many plants you need per room for the biggest health benefits

This is how many plants you need per room for the biggest health benefits

{headline}

{headline}

The music you play at home can affect how your plants grow

The music you play at home can affect how your plants grow

5 reasons why your terrarium is dying

5 reasons why your terrarium is dying

This pot will tell you when your plant needs sun or water

This pot will tell you when your plant needs sun or water

{headline}

{headline}

6 air-purifying plants that are safe for pets

6 air-purifying plants that are safe for pets

Why you should add charcoal to your pot plants

Why you should add charcoal to your pot plants

How to care for your fiddle leaf fig

How to care for your fiddle leaf fig

This cheap indoor plant hack has gone viral

This cheap indoor plant hack has gone viral

Air purifying plants: 20 of the best for your home

Air purifying plants: 20 of the best for your home

Indoor plants for stressed out people

Indoor plants for stressed out people

The best way to get rid of gnats in indoor plants

The best way to get rid of gnats in indoor plants

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