Interest in fresh cut flowers is on the rise, and with good reason. Close your eyes for a moment and think about the last time you saw a bouquet of flowers: What made them memorable? Was it the appealing display of color, the sweet aroma wafting in the air, the delicate form of each petal perfectly arranged to create each flower? What feelings and emotions did they generate?
If you’re like most people, your answers were enveloped in a field of positive memories, and may have even brought a smile to your face as you recalled the moment. It is no surprise that people are attracted to flowers like bees to honey (and flowers for that matter!). What may be surprising is that there are proven health benefits of keeping flowers in your home or business. People are rediscovering the healing power of flowers as a way to infuse stress relief and better health into their lives.
In my previous career as an RN, I noticed that patients with flowers by their bedside seemed calmer and happier. I often wondered if the sense of contentment was the result of the feelings of gratitude and connection in response to receiving a gift or if the actual presence of the flowers was creating an environment of serenity. While there is no doubt that knowing others care about your well-being has a lot to do with improving your health, it turns out that even if you buy your own flowers your health will benefit!
This is a fascinating finding and seems to support the idea that spending time in nature every day can create a positive state of mind. But it goes a step further to show that even when part of nature is brought into the home or business, the same positivity can be created, among other benefits. Flowers, especially, have a tremendous effect on us because of our innate attraction to beauty, pleasant scents and symmetrical shapes.
Here is a short summary of the results of several behavioral studies that researched the effects of flowers in the home or business:
Happiness factor. It seems pretty obvious that receiving a bouquet of flowers from someone will increase your immediate happiness levels. What is not so obvious is that those same flowers also result in a long-term increase in life satisfaction as well.
Decrease in anxiety and depression. Those with flowers in their home are less likely to report anxiety, depression and agitation, regardless of whether those flowers were gifted or purchased by themselves.
Stress relievers. The phrase, “stop and smell the roses,” is actually wise advice. Those that incorporate flowers into their home or workplace environment have a measurable decrease in their stress levels.
The power of positive thinking. People that start their day with flowers on their table report greater positive emotions, and we've all heard about the dramatic effect that positivity can have.
Increase in creative ability and problem solving. When flowers and plants are included in the workplace environment, idea generation and creative performance went up significantly.
Recovery benefit. Patients with flowers at their bedside reported lower pain levels and had fewer recovery complications than those who did not.
Wow! Those are some impressive findings! Who would have thought that the beautiful bouquet of flowers you brought home has more to offer than beauty and can actually improve your well-being. Nature really does possess healing qualities, even when you bring some of it indoors.
"New University Study Proves Flowers Can Alleviate Stress," Erin Largo-Wright, Ph.D., University of Northern Florida.
"Living with Flowers Strengthens Feelings of Compassion, and Decreases Anxiety and Worry," Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
"An Environmental Approach to Positive Emotion: Flowers," Jeannette M. Havilland-Jones, Ph.D., The State University of New Jersey.
"Flowers and Plants Promote Inspiration and Ideas," Dr. Roger Ulrich, Texas A&M University.
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