Plants can help improve our mood and attention. Research from Li and Sullivan in 2016 found that students in high school will perform better in tests if they can see greenery outside, compared to those who can see other buildings. They found that student’s attention increased by 13% when they had a green view. They also found that it students with a green view recovered better from stress. Li and Sullivan believe that when we focus on a task, we ward off other distractions in our environment. This causes fatigue and is mentally draining. But if we no longer focus, then our brain has a chance to rest and refocus. Looking at a green view means we are restoring our mental energy. The research suggests that school planners should try to ensure that there is more greenery around schools and colleges.
As an aside to this, the Woodland Trust and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are hoping to plan one million trees by 2020 focusing on urban schools in the UK.
Other research on potted plants have found that they can be helpful in other settings, such as work, schools and hospitals. They can help in many ways, such as –
- Reducing blood pressure
- Increasing attention
- Increasing attendance
- Improving reaction times
- Increasing productivity
- Reduce anxiety
- Increase job satisfaction
It seems as though having plants around you, both indoors and outdoors is a good thing for our psychological health.
If you would like to learn more about plants and where you should plant them, why not have a look at our Plants What Where short course.
Or learn more about other techniques for managing your stress levels with our Stress Management short course.