10 Stress-Relieving Plants To Have Around Your Home

House plants are so popular and for good reason. While certain types can be difficult to maintain at times and a lot of upkeep is involved, there is an explanation for why many people fill their homes with beautiful and colorful plants. It is not simply because they make for nice decoration, although that is a reason for many. House plants can be extremely stress-relieving and anxiety decreasing.

If you are just getting started learning about plants and maintaining them, you should consider purchasing plants that have a positive effect on your health.

There are many plants that help to reduce your stress, and here are ten to get you started. Who knows, you might find yourself planning a trip to a nursery soon.

Lavender

Lavender is one of the most commonly used plants for wellness.

Have you recently taken a bath with lavender infused salts or used lavender oil in your diffuser? It has been made into many different products to help improve wellness and reduce stress.

Lavender helps to improve sleep, lower heart rate, and calm agitation. It has also been used historically to help calm infants.

Increased sleep quality helps to greatly reduce stress. Sleep hygiene is an important component of wellness and lavender is very helpful for sleep. Lower heart rates also helps to keep the body at baseline.

Areca Palm

Areca Palm may not be one of the most common plants for your home, but it is very helpful for your stress levels.

This is a plant that works to purify the air, thus leaving your home cleaner and more soothing. It has been found to remove unwanted toxins such as Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Trichloroethylene from the air ensuring a healthier home, which will reduce your stress.

Cleaner air helps to reduce the stress that our physical body feels, thus reducing the stress experienced both mentally and emotionally.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera can be used for so much more than sunburns. While it works well for the skin because it is very soothing, it is helpful as a stress reducer as well.

Aloe Vera also works to purify and clean the air. This helps to greatly improve sleep and reduce environmental stressors that are literally floating around us.

And of course, it can be used as a topical, to reduce the stress of any uncomfortable feelings on or in our skin.

English Ivy

English Ivy may be one of the lesser known stress-reducing plants.

It works to greatly reduce mold. In fact, some research shows it can reduce mold in the air by up to 94%. This helps to improve sleep quality and is significant for individuals who experience allergies.

So much stress in the spring and summer can be attributed to seasonal allergies. English Ivy can help prevent such stress by working to clean the air and combat the effects, such as puffiness, difficulties breathing, sleeping, and functioning overall.

This is also a very helpful plant for those who struggle with asthma.

Gerbera Daisy

Another air purifier is the Gerbera Daisy, which is nice because it is arguably one of the most beautiful. Their flowers are so bright in colour, you cannot help but feel calm and happy around them. So for aesthetic reasons alone, the Gerbera Daisy is worth mentioning.

Aside from being beautiful in nature, this blooming flower cleans our air well. It works especially hard to remove the following chemicals from our homes: Trichloroethylene and Benzene. Both chemicals are stress-causing and so to remove them helps promote our overall wellness and again helps maintain our ability to sleep. And sleep hygiene is such a crucial component of our wellness.

Snake Plant

Do not let its name fool you, the Snake Plant is as beautiful as it is helpful.

The Snake Plant looks like a larger succulent with its bright green and thick, pointed leaves. It also works to reduce Trichloroethylene and Benzene, making it a helpful tool in reducing toxic chemicals in our homes.

The Snake Plant has also been found to be helpful for those who struggle with irritated eyes, headaches, or any problems breathing. All of these symptoms can be stress-inducing, and the snake plant combats them well.

It has also been found to improve energy levels, which is something I know I personally would benefit from. Low energy is often associated with stress and sickness and requires intervention often.

Perhaps we would be drinking less coffee if we had more plants. Just a thought!

Red-Edged Dracaena

Another one of the lesser known house plants to get your hands on is the Red-Edged Dracaena.

While it too is quite beautiful with its red tips, it works to greatly clean the air that we breathe. It cleans the air of the following chemicals quite well: Xylene, Trichloroethylene, and Formaldehyde. You may be familiar with some of these chemicals because they are found in gasolines, varnishes, and lacquers – none of which you want to be breathing in!

A benefit of cleaning the air of such toxins is again experiencing better sleep thus reducing our stress and improving the health of our lungs and other organs impacted by our environment.

The chemicals have been found to directly increase stress, anxiety, and lack of concentration.

All the more reason to get rid of them.

Succulents

Succulents are not just Instagram-friendly, but they are health-friendly as well!

These beautiful little plants make the perfect desktop accessory while working to reduce headaches, cold and flu symptoms, and fevers and coughs – all symptoms that increase stress. Talk about the right purchase next time you find yourself at Home Depot!

Remember that succulents want a lot of sun and only a little water, because they can be easy to overwater.

Bamboo

Bamboo plants have been used for years as herbal medicine and food.

Stomach and digestive issues are often related to stress or cause stress instead. Bamboo has been grown in homes and used to soothe stomach disorders.

The shoots can be homegrown and then cooked to be used to treat stomach disorders as well as respiratory disorders. They are especially good with honey.

Please remember to always check with your physician prior to ingesting any plant.

Black Bamboo has been found to be helpful in treating lung infections and inflammation and to treat coughs and mucous.

Golden Pothos

Another great plant to improve air quality is the Golden Pothos.

While it likes indirect light, its effects are not indirect. It cleans the air by reducing Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Carbon Monoxide, which as we know are toxins that are detrimental to health and increase stress.

It helps to eliminate odors and eye irritation. This is especially helpful as we spend a significant amount looking at computer and phone screens in our lives these days.

This plant is one of the easiest house plants to grow. It requires low, indirect light and is famous for being able to grow in garages where little light comes in. It tends to stay green and vine-like, which makes it quite fun for decoration as well as clean air. Offer it a wall and it will grow right up or down it.

Conclusion

If you are looking for house plants to reduce your stress, clean your air, help you sleep, and help you focus, this is a good starting list.

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Houseplant Book