The benefits of Plants
There are many benefits to making nature part of your life. One way I’ve previously discussed to help with this is adding plants to your space and to your weekly routine. Plants are a fitting symbol for taking care of yourself: They need water and sun to grow in the same way we do. The beautiful thing is that you are able to see the direct results of taking care of a plant which can hopefully relate to taking care of yourself as well. Here are some of the benefits of having plants in your space:
Clean Air: Cleans indoor air by absorbing toxins, increasing humidity, and producing oxygen: Much of what’s learned in therapy are mindfulness skills and many of them include different ways to breathe. Having clean air to practice these skills is a double benefit. This also has added benefits when it comes to sleep quality.
Overall reductions in anxiety: Being in contact with dirt and using your hands for something that doesn’t involve technology can provide some relief from screen time.
Routine: Adding an additional routine can help give structure to your life and anchor you when life inevitably gets thrown out of whack. Routines take the uncertainty out of certain parts of our day, which helps with feeling more in control.
Plants are a gentle reminder of the ways in which you can nurture yourself and add some self-care to your routine. The added greenery in your environment can also give new life to your space. For plants that need water once a week, consider coinciding with your watering schedule with the days you go to therapy.
