Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a student studying for exams, a full-time employee struggling with a large workload or a new parent – stress affects us all. However, science has discovered that simply having fresh-cut flowers in your home can increase feelings of wellbeing, reduce anxiousness and give you an increased sense of calm at home.
A behavioral research study completed by Harvard found that people felt less worried and anxious when fresh cut flowers were placed around their home.
“Other research has proven that flowers make people happy when they receive them,” said Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. “What we didn’t know is that spending a few days with flowers in the home can affect a wide variety of feelings.”
After a few days of having fresh-cut flowers in their home, participants of the same study felt “less negative”. Other benefits included feeling more compassionate towards others, as well as extra energy, happiness, and enthusiasm for work.
Another study published by the medical journal Complementary Therapies In Medicine found that a bouquet of fresh cut flowers can also reduce stress.For the study, college-aged women were given a fresh vase of roses for their dorm rooms, and the students reported feeling more relaxed and stress-free than when they didn’t have flowers in their rooms.
And the best bit? It doesn’t have to be some big, fancy bouquet of flowers from a florist. A few pretty blooms plucked from your garden and tucked neatly into a small vase will do the job, as will a convenient pre-made bunch from your local supermarket.
Anyone else ready to go out and buy a big, beautiful bunch of flowers now?
You might also like:
Study finds that flowers and indoor plans can reduce pain
This is how indoor plants can keep your skin hydrated
Four surprising health benefits of gardening
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
