mine definitely do make me happier. I like to go around, water them, clean their leaves, look at how much they grew, just simply look at them. I always feel happier when I look after my plants ❤
Tending to something, giving it your love, that just feels so rewarding and good, I cant imagine a plant not helping me feel better. It keeps me from falling into a serious depression because if I dont care for my plant it's going to die and then I'll really be sad
@@ViolentAurora it's kind of like having a dog. dogs are great because they keep you moving. they need to go on walks, no matter what is the weather like and they need YOUR attention every day. Plants are similar in a way because they rely on you, if you don't water them, they'll suffer. it gives you something to care for, and by our nature we want to care for others - let it be a pet, family or a plant. when those who we love are happy from our actions, we feel joy :)
Mine definitely didn't make me happier. All plants are different, and temperatures change, so I sometimes don't give them enough water or I give them too much water. Whatever I do, they always end up dying on me rather quickly. Now I got some nice green plastic plants. They don't need special attention, and they can't die and/or become ugly. They're perfect ^^
I have read somewhere that we should spend half an hour in nature every day to feel happier. Plants are our natural habitat. We shouldn't underestimate their effects.
It will take more than 2000 years for our biology to accept concrete and skyscrapers as a natural habitat(some might be picky and homesick though) so I agree with you. Spent 3 days canoeing in the wild. Felt like the most relaxing week I ever had, even though the hard work of dragging the damn thing some places and setting up camp and fighting mosquitoes. People should get out more(during perferred season do to bugs or specific bug locations). It will do them good.
i find that being in a room with green walls or a blue ceiling makes me more relaxed and happier. white walls are probably the most stressful and grey walls the most depressing, yet nearly every school hospital, or similarly stressful building almost exclusively use grey and white...
I like my four plants but not as much as my cat likes trying to eat them. (I dont keep any plants harmful to cats around) He just loves his leafy greens
Healthy plants also means thoughtful people work here. There's usually not a company coming in taking care of plants in an office (well, in large places yes there are companies that do that) so if there's happy, healthy plants you can feel good about the staff.
I just think they are neat. Plus I like when I don't kill them, it makes me feel responsable and they are pretty. Maybe other people also feel good when they are around pretty things that are alive.
Maybe plants make us feel comfortable and safe because way back in evolution hiding in ground cover made us less exposed to predators. Like maybe small green leafy plants remind our primitive brains of our tree dwelling days among the branches. That could explain some healing or restorative effect it's like telling our body you're safe here you have permission to put energy into healing because you don't need to be running from or fighting against anything.
It seems more plausible that people like the presence of plants because generally areas with abundant green plants will also have sources of water and abundant food. Whereas areas without green plants will be more barren and less suited to finding food and water.
I love nature and being in an apartment sucks. I grew up outside so I fill my space with plants, maybe that’s why? Or it’s having to take care of something and watching it grow that I love? It’d be so dull without my plants, but also I have a pretty bangin green thumb😂
We were aloud to have plants in the call center I worked at for a couple years. I really enjoyed having my jade plant around and seeing the plants other people had on their desks. There was quite an uproar when the building maintenance said we needed to get rid of our plants and I really felt a negative mood shift after they were gone.
I and my 30+ houseplants agree, it's very soothing and makes me happy to look after my plants and see how they grow when I give them what they need to thrive, but my current infestation of bugs and my several ailing calatheas can attest that they also can be a source of stress when they're not doing well.
I think I knew this on an instinctual level. I was having a really bad day with my depression and I’m like “I want a plant. Im gonna go get myself a plant” and now I have a bunch of succulents and I love watching my little babies grow!
They remind me how I am connected with nature as sometimes I forget. I have almost 100 plants in my apartment now! Each plant has different water, sunlight, nutrient, air, medium and environmental needs just like humans. It's fascinating watching the processes and cycles of nature and the endless variety and diversity of plants available. I love having a variety of plant shapes, colours, textures, scents, heights, patterns etc and it's amazing how much diversity nature has. I also enjoy witnessing how each reproduce/flower/propogate differently and seeing my plants flourish. I guess it's the millennial alternative to having something to care for that isn't a pet. Additionally I also place my food scraps/coffee grounds on my plants to naturally fertilise them while improving my environmental footprint. I also grow my own herbs which taste far better. Overall I think the cleaner air, visual appeal, challenge, improved health, reduced environmental impact and deeper connection/appreciation for nature explains why I'm much happier with plants.
It is simply the plant itself. It is the color and the feeling you have when you are in nature. I have no plants in my flat, but there are trees pretty much growing into my window. It is simply beautiful and part of living on planet earth.
As someone who experiences depression and anxiety, I personally find that my plants are like a connection to the world, in the comfort of my own home. Makes me feel good to know I caused my plants to grow and progress to that point.
Maybe the effect plants have on our minds and bodies is instinctual? Like...maybe it's not the plants that make us feel better but rather the reduction of the artificial energy that buildings and enclosed areas inherently have. I know the talk of energy sounds kind of hippie dippie-ish, but idk, maybe our brains experience a constant, low level of stress while we're in artificial/man-made-looking/feeling structures, because it's not something our brains evolved to understand without effort. Maybe it's as if our brains are constantly having to make sense of the foreign quality of our glass windows, brick walls, and chrome appliances, and lessening that burden by making our surroundings more instictually familiar with plants and such is what helps us feel and perform better. Idk, I might be totally off and completely inaccurate, but it's the first thing I thought of after watching this video. I keep dozens of plants myself (a ton in my bedroom and some vegetables and flowers outdoors), and I 100% can say that I always feel significantly more at ease when I'm surrounded by greenery, even if I don't know why exactly that is.
My grandfather had his hemorrhoids removed. He said it was the most humiliating surgery ever. You're bent over this padded table as people walk by and do their jobs. Your butt is the highest part of you. The results were great, I guess, but the actual surgery part was egotistically awful. XD
It's because plants force you to slow the F down and chill out since you have to take your time watering, clipping, cleaning, or re-poting (touching soil & being gentle with your plant). It's satisfying watching your plant thrive when you are doing things right.
As I watch this, there are multiple bouquets of flowers across the table from me from a wedding we went to over the weekend. They definitely brighten my day.
My mum keeps herself cheery by regularly watering and/or otherwise just checking on her plants located along the corridor from the lift lobby to our house..
Having spent months in ICU, routinely forgot about to near fatal results by overworked staff in underfunded hospitals, I can see why seeing plants and knowing that the patients are so well cared for there is enough energy to spill over into taking care of useless plants might be enough to explain this effect.
Probably a lot of reasons for why they relax us, so gonna hard to isolate the variables.... Plants don't get hungry and kill us, plants are usually useful for hiding, bedding, food, and usually indicates nearby water. Though I wonder if there is similar effects when in presence of some water decorations.
In my opinion, a room with multiple plants I feel more comfortable because the person that put them there cares about that space. It’s not simply a place to keep people in for the time being, it’s a place to actually be comfortable in
Plants make me feel better because they are pure, non biased, non anxiety ridden life. There is no pretense. We are aware of our surroundings weather we actively know it or not. Plants encompass an energy of a sort that we connect with innately.
I can be around my plants most of the day, I'm sure they make me happier. I forget about everything bad during the day, I love them. I like growing them from seed so I watch how they develop and get attached to them.
plants can indeed make you happy, especially in huge amount of lushness and variety, its part of nature and how nature works. I am very happy to be in our family roofdeck garden because that is where most of our garden plants are now and seeing them thrive gives me that sense of accomplishment, it is indeed that one who plants a garden believes in the future. it is one of our evolutionary traits to care and watch out for nature since we didn't thrive in a urban jungle today as it was in a jungle or in a savannah millions of years ago
I feel like going out in nature (going hiking, camping, walking through wooded areas, etc) helps me recharge. The main reason why I like to have some plants inside is because it brings a bit of nature right into our home.
i think also i heard somewhere that the color green reduces anxiety and boosts your mood. which makes sense because it's EVERYWHERE (outside.) i think also wind is maybe a factor as well because it put that color green into motion, so it might be kind of complicated. don't you normally feel good while you are driving? at least when you take the back roads? maybe the sense of movement also is a factor in stimulating your dopamine.
Maybe it’s because they see that there is life around them, which gives them peace of mind(something like “hey there’s life around me I’m not alone” and “the plant is alive in this room and so that must mean I’m gong to survive etc...”something like that) and the reason why some experience this differently is maybe because they have different preferences for plants, and also some may not like plants which can lead to negative results
This is how I feel about my garden. Especially with the plants coming out of snow like my snowdrops and hellebore. I’m so excited to smell Camilla’s. I find home plants very puzzling because I don’t know what to do with them. I overwater them, over cut them or I don’t do enough…..I’m so confused.
Mind over matter! Sometimes we don't need scientists to show that something is helpful! This is pretty obvious in my eyes ^^ We underestimate often the little things in our life.
If you’re referring to online text, I would presume it’s simply because there isn’t the face-to-face, personal contact, without the risk of true confrontation or connection.
@@jwinthepro ik but then there are situations where there is no risk of confrontation, what about those? its sort of more of a fear of an awkward situation i think but i want to know why we fear it so much more in person
Even though they’re not houseplants, ever since I’ve started taking care of a small flower garden in the morning I’ve definitely been a little happier.
The act of seeing something live and grow can be appealing. The effect I reference can done with a developing program of something that interests the patients. For me this could be watching a computer program play the video game DotA 2 and developing strategies for competing better. Right now they have a bot which can win against pro players in a solo mid only game. They are in progress of making a full team that can do this too and it is exciting!
If it's only visual or if there is a visual component to this, then compare these studies to studies of how the look of one's environment affects one's mood -such as having only solid colors, which colors, having patterns (such as in wallpaper) and what kind of patterns, overly busy patterns everywhere you look, etc. and of course the obvious -fake house plants. Another thing to consider, in spaces with low ventilation, the effects of photosynthesis, and air purification (and humidification?) done by the plants.
Houseplants make me nervous, because I know the plants outside have lots of spiders, and I am terrified of spiders, so having something in my house that I know spiders like to make homes out of makes me FREAKING SCARED.
The past few months I have been really depressed and upset for honestly no reason and a few weeks ago I bought a a BUNCH of plants and have been taking care of them and my mental health has improved sooo much and Ik this sounds odd but I’m honestly obsessed with plants now and now I’m building a green house
A tip about what plants to buy if you have trouble with plants: Peace Lilly. That's it. Get a peace lilly. Why? Doesn't need direct sunlight. Can be bought in different sizes. Most importantly, it can be used to teach you how often to water your plants! Most people who have trouble with plants either over water or under water them, and either extreme is bad. And every environment is different - so it's impossible to say "once every X days, this amount". A peace lilly is a great teacher because if you leave it alone, and wait... WAIT until it starts drooping/wilting (peace lillies are obvious about it!), you now know you missed watering it by ONE day. If this is your first time watering it at your home, water it, whatever (reasonable) amount you think it needs, and then wait again until it wilts - you will then know how much water, and how often (one day less) to water it ... Once you have your peace lilly routine sorted out (it may change with the seasons - most houses are much dryer in winter - so you might have to relearn each season) you can confidently assume most leafy plants (not cactus or succulents or orchids) in a similar sized pot will need a similar amount of watering on the same routine.
I have anxiety disorder, I will buy a vase of basil and give it a try. I like the smell of it and if I need to take care of a plant I might as well get something I can cook with. Worst case scenario: my mental health stays the same but I eat better food.
There is a little bit of evidence that plants might be good for your mental health therefore you should have house plants if you like them. A monumental stand for a science channel.
I learned from an Angel the other day that the best way to cultivate your plants is to yell at them and threaten them to behave or else be grinded in a blender
Let me tell you a story about house plants..... For years there were these tiny gnats and fuit flies that i would find dead in the sink of my bathroom and kitchen. No matter where i looked for the source, the place of entry, i just couldn't figure out where these little buggers were comming from. Until one day.. when i needed to re-pot a houseplant that had happened to outgrown its home. As i pulled that plant out of the pot, to my astonishment the composition of the substrate of this pot was nearly 60-40%, maggots to dirt. You know what i did next right... i checked every damn houseplant i own, and nearly all of them had some sorts of thriving subterranean communities amongst their roots. Some had colonies of centipedes, and others just pill bugs with the occasional worm. Luckily for me, i like bugs. I have a pet spider of the sub genus phidippus audax, her name is spot. She's a mother to a few hundred spiderlings whom I'll need to promptly kick out of the house when they become of age. Now, if this story makes you squeamish, or you're like a friend of mine and you suffer from debilitating Entomophobia. Then you may want to reconsider those house plants. Because as I've come to learn from other sources and a little research. This is quite the common ordeal. Though they may cause some degree of pleasure, it's been long disproven that they have any effect on air quality. Enjoy your flora umbraticis, and please dont needlessly kill spiders. Eight legged lives matter.
Mikerphone, mine don’t have nearly that level of animal life. I get a few fungus gnats and the occasional pill bug that hitches a ride when I bring them inside for the winter, but otherwise, they’re pretty barren except for roots. I also get behind on watering a lot, so that might have something to do with it.
Mikerphone, many plants are happier if you keep their soil evenly moist, but they don’t die from getting a little on the dry side. Drier soil is harder for other organisms to live in. I put many of my indoor plants outside during the summer so they can get rainwater and sunlight and so predatory insects can remove any pests. I bring them inside when it gets cold.
@@evilsharkey8954 I was speaking specifically about about the other organisms not the plants. Ah so do you live somewhere relatively cool then, because you're trying to take advantage of some extra sunlight? Most indoor plant species require very little sunlight to begin with. For instance, off the top of my head i have some fern and ivy species, a few exotic flowering species and some succulents that require little to no sunlight, and a couple of other plants that need to be near a window.
Mikerphone, I live in Wisconsin in the USA. I have powerful indoor lights, and still many of my plants get leggy during the winter, especially the succulents. Most of them put out new growth and flower buds when they go outside. They just look better. I also have city water which is chlorinated, fluoridated, and softened, and they hate it. I have to buy reverse osmosis water for them. Rainwater is free!
It feels like psychology is one of the only scientific studies we don't really know anything about. It is always a guessing game and then testing your hypothesis and the hypothesis is always based on very abstract logic
It's not about data it's about what the plant represents. We have so much stress from work studying plans we're making and the digital world. But guess what this plant is here trying to live, this is its world it's trying to survive. That's what's beautiful it doesn't care about your plans because it's to busy in his own world to care. All it wants is water sunny light and lots of love and that's great and beautiful! It's a call back to a simpler time I guess you can say.
The Japanese has the wonderful word "Shinrin-yoku", or "forest bathing". Isn't there a study of how many trees is required to add a therapeutic effect on people? We build parks everywhere we can and people enjoy them. I have one specific plant in my house that I care some extra for, everyone I know got at least one plant in their home so something must be going on.
I absolutely adore having plants. I would say it's helped me out to let my brain slow down They take time and although I've liked being a busy person, I've also realised it's brought on more useless thoughts, I can take the time plan something or just not stress out so much PLANT YOUR NATIVE FLOWERS FOR THE FREAKING NATIVE BEE'S! AND SHARE THE SEEDS WITH OTHER PEOPLE
I thought that this sounded like a hoax at first, but then I remembered something: when I was stuck in the hospital for several months, the thing I missed the most was hiking and being out amidst the conifers and other trees. I mean, walking was definitely something I missed, but I didn’t actively wish that I could walk around a city! So I guess it’s not totally a hoax after all!
my brother had a ton of house plants that he never bothered to re-pot, he began to get sick constantly one cold after another without knowing why. turns out most of the pots the plants were in had grown super moldy and he has a genetic abnormality which makes its very very difficult for his body to process and get rid of mold toxin. he now has an auto immune disorder from the mold and has been sick for almost two years. :|
I bet plants make people feel more relaxed in general because we associate them with being outside in nature, where you can run and hide from the stress and scary things of everyday life. Plus, if you're in a (threatening) artificial environment (like an office, school or hospital) and you see lots of plants around you, you might feel like: if they are able to survive there, than so can you.
Hi Hank, I have ADHD/ASD and many people with ADHD report feeling more relaxed and being able to concentrate better out in nature or surrounded by plants. I'm not 100% sure but I think this has something to do with attention restoration theory. Delving into neurodiversities becomes complicated very quickly but I would be interested to see an episode of sci-show specifically about psychological evolutionary mismatch.
Not sure how they missed this, but they need to test they differences in responses between real plants, fake plants that participants believe are real, and fake plants they know are fake.
Plants (that I'm not allergic to) at work or elsewhere are nice, but houseplants at home are overwhelming and depressing because they inevitably die, no matter what I do to them.
mine definitely do make me happier. I like to go around, water them, clean their leaves, look at how much they grew, just simply look at them. I always feel happier when I look after my plants ❤
YES ! The best thing is spoting a new leaf or branch coming to life !
Ahhhhh...kindred spirits :)
Tending to something, giving it your love, that just feels so rewarding and good, I cant imagine a plant not helping me feel better. It keeps me from falling into a serious depression because if I dont care for my plant it's going to die and then I'll really be sad
@@ViolentAurora it's kind of like having a dog. dogs are great because they keep you moving. they need to go on walks, no matter what is the weather like and they need YOUR attention every day. Plants are similar in a way because they rely on you, if you don't water them, they'll suffer. it gives you something to care for, and by our nature we want to care for others - let it be a pet, family or a plant. when those who we love are happy from our actions, we feel joy :)
Mine definitely didn't make me happier. All plants are different, and temperatures change, so I sometimes don't give them enough water or I give them too much water. Whatever I do, they always end up dying on me rather quickly.
Now I got some nice green plastic plants. They don't need special attention, and they can't die and/or become ugly. They're perfect ^^
Never clicked that fast ! My apartment is somewhat of an urban jungle, and it makes me insanely happy and serene
You definitely need to show it.
@@kkgt6591 I thought about it, but I've already got stuff on my plate, and Insta is full of them already, if you know where to look
I have read somewhere that we should spend half an hour in nature every day to feel happier.
Plants are our natural habitat. We shouldn't underestimate their effects.
You should look into a field called “eco psychology,” very interesting stuff
It will take more than 2000 years for our biology to accept concrete and skyscrapers as a natural habitat(some might be picky and homesick though) so I agree with you. Spent 3 days canoeing in the wild. Felt like the most relaxing week I ever had, even though the hard work of dragging the damn thing some places and setting up camp and fighting mosquitoes. People should get out more(during perferred season do to bugs or specific bug locations). It will do them good.
Exactly!! You took the words out of my mind :)
PantsuMann Lol xD next time try bringing some mosquito repellent for a more relaxing trip!
i find that being in a room with green walls or a blue ceiling makes me more relaxed and happier. white walls are probably the most stressful and grey walls the most depressing, yet nearly every school hospital, or similarly stressful building almost exclusively use grey and white...
I like my four plants but not as much as my cat likes trying to eat them. (I dont keep any plants harmful to cats around) He just loves his leafy greens
Iirc, cats naturally eat grass to clean their digestive system.
I'm sure that there are many plants that can make you happier!
There's a store near me that sells many different varieties of one kind!
Healthy plants also means thoughtful people work here. There's usually not a company coming in taking care of plants in an office (well, in large places yes there are companies that do that) so if there's happy, healthy plants you can feel good about the staff.
I like taking care of them, it feels like having a pet, it doesnt demand anything from you and still recives everything you give it.
Also i like green
I just think they are neat.
Plus I like when I don't kill them, it makes me feel responsable and they are pretty.
Maybe other people also feel good when they are around pretty things that are alive.
Maybe plants make us feel comfortable and safe because way back in evolution hiding in ground cover made us less exposed to predators. Like maybe small green leafy plants remind our primitive brains of our tree dwelling days among the branches. That could explain some healing or restorative effect it's like telling our body you're safe here you have permission to put energy into healing because you don't need to be running from or fighting against anything.
It seems like it should be the opposite because plants are outside... and if youre outside youre exposed to predators...
But they are always there not just when you are hiding behind them but otherwise it is an interesting thought
persephone p inside didn't really exist in humanities early days
It seems more plausible that people like the presence of plants because generally areas with abundant green plants will also have sources of water and abundant food. Whereas areas without green plants will be more barren and less suited to finding food and water.
@@vakusdrake3224 good point
I have lots of indoor plants all over the house, they definitely make me feel happier, and looking after them and tending to them is very therapeutic
My city has a lot of plants... Its one of the things that made me happy whenever i came back from a trip, just to look at the trees on the street
I love nature and being in an apartment sucks. I grew up outside so I fill my space with plants, maybe that’s why? Or it’s having to take care of something and watching it grow that I love? It’d be so dull without my plants, but also I have a pretty bangin green thumb😂
Not even watching the video and say YES! Makes me feel responsible and it breaks up the static white walls.
We were aloud to have plants in the call center I worked at for a couple years. I really enjoyed having my jade plant around and seeing the plants other people had on their desks. There was quite an uproar when the building maintenance said we needed to get rid of our plants and I really felt a negative mood shift after they were gone.
I think the knowledge that someone must be caring for the plants initiates a sense of safety and an unconscious expectation of compassion.
Its not the shape color or smell that makes plants relaxing. its the fact that they are alive.
Patrick Barnes, Absolutely correct!
I would say it’s a combination of all of the above, with emphasis on the latter
I knew those 6 cannabis plants in my room somehow made me feel happy
I and my 30+ houseplants agree, it's very soothing and makes me happy to look after my plants and see how they grow when I give them what they need to thrive, but my current infestation of bugs and my several ailing calatheas can attest that they also can be a source of stress when they're not doing well.
I think I knew this on an instinctual level. I was having a really bad day with my depression and I’m like “I want a plant. Im gonna go get myself a plant” and now I have a bunch of succulents and I love watching my little babies grow!
I currently have over a dozen different succs and I love them all.
They remind me how I am connected with nature as sometimes I forget. I have almost 100 plants in my apartment now! Each plant has different water, sunlight, nutrient, air, medium and environmental needs just like humans. It's fascinating watching the processes and cycles of nature and the endless variety and diversity of plants available. I love having a variety of plant shapes, colours, textures, scents, heights, patterns etc and it's amazing how much diversity nature has. I also enjoy witnessing how each reproduce/flower/propogate differently and seeing my plants flourish. I guess it's the millennial alternative to having something to care for that isn't a pet. Additionally I also place my food scraps/coffee grounds on my plants to naturally fertilise them while improving my environmental footprint. I also grow my own herbs which taste far better. Overall I think the cleaner air, visual appeal, challenge, improved health, reduced environmental impact and deeper connection/appreciation for nature explains why I'm much happier with plants.
It is simply the plant itself. It is the color and the feeling you have when you are in nature. I have no plants in my flat, but there are trees pretty much growing into my window. It is simply beautiful and part of living on planet earth.
As someone who experiences depression and anxiety, I personally find that my plants are like a connection to the world, in the comfort of my own home.
Makes me feel good to know I caused my plants to grow and progress to that point.
My weed plants bring me great happiness!
Symbiosis :).
Maybe the effect plants have on our minds and bodies is instinctual? Like...maybe it's not the plants that make us feel better but rather the reduction of the artificial energy that buildings and enclosed areas inherently have. I know the talk of energy sounds kind of hippie dippie-ish, but idk, maybe our brains experience a constant, low level of stress while we're in artificial/man-made-looking/feeling structures, because it's not something our brains evolved to understand without effort. Maybe it's as if our brains are constantly having to make sense of the foreign quality of our glass windows, brick walls, and chrome appliances, and lessening that burden by making our surroundings more instictually familiar with plants and such is what helps us feel and perform better. Idk, I might be totally off and completely inaccurate, but it's the first thing I thought of after watching this video. I keep dozens of plants myself (a ton in my bedroom and some vegetables and flowers outdoors), and I 100% can say that I always feel significantly more at ease when I'm surrounded by greenery, even if I don't know why exactly that is.
Plants 🌱 are really good for us.
More plants; the better. 😌😌
My grandfather had his hemorrhoids removed. He said it was the most humiliating surgery ever. You're bent over this padded table as people walk by and do their jobs. Your butt is the highest part of you. The results were great, I guess, but the actual surgery part was egotistically awful. XD
It's because plants force you to slow the F down and chill out since you have to take your time watering, clipping, cleaning, or re-poting (touching soil & being gentle with your plant). It's satisfying watching your plant thrive when you are doing things right.
I love the growing cycle of my med cannabis plants . its uplifting on so many levels .
As I watch this, there are multiple bouquets of flowers across the table from me from a wedding we went to over the weekend. They definitely brighten my day.
When you misread houseplants as hotpants... and other fun dyslexic moments.
I would be happier in an office full of plants than in an office full of people.
My mum keeps herself cheery by regularly watering and/or otherwise just checking on her plants located along the corridor from the lift lobby to our house..
Having spent months in ICU, routinely forgot about to near fatal results by overworked staff in underfunded hospitals, I can see why seeing plants and knowing that the patients are so well cared for there is enough energy to spill over into taking care of useless plants might be enough to explain this effect.
For me, plants help by giving me something else to think about. They Give my mind something other than intrusive thoughts to think about.
Probably a lot of reasons for why they relax us, so gonna hard to isolate the variables.... Plants don't get hungry and kill us, plants are usually useful for hiding, bedding, food, and usually indicates nearby water. Though I wonder if there is similar effects when in presence of some water decorations.
In my opinion, a room with multiple plants I feel more comfortable because the person that put them there cares about that space. It’s not simply a place to keep people in for the time being, it’s a place to actually be comfortable in
Plants make me feel better because they are pure, non biased, non anxiety ridden life. There is no pretense. We are aware of our surroundings weather we actively know it or not. Plants encompass an energy of a sort that we connect with innately.
How splants make you happier would be a good subject for a future video.
I can be around my plants most of the day, I'm sure they make me happier. I forget about everything bad during the day, I love them. I like growing them from seed so I watch how they develop and get attached to them.
I’d need 5 tons of those plz
Absolutely 💯 In addition to releaving stress, it lowers the stress hormone Cortisol🌻
plants can indeed make you happy, especially in huge amount of lushness and variety, its part of nature and how nature works. I am very happy to be in our family roofdeck garden because that is where most of our garden plants are now and seeing them thrive gives me that sense of accomplishment, it is indeed that one who plants a garden believes in the future. it is one of our evolutionary traits to care and watch out for nature since we didn't thrive in a urban jungle today as it was in a jungle or in a savannah millions of years ago
I feel like going out in nature (going hiking, camping, walking through wooded areas, etc) helps me recharge. The main reason why I like to have some plants inside is because it brings a bit of nature right into our home.
i think also i heard somewhere that the color green reduces anxiety and boosts your mood. which makes sense because it's EVERYWHERE (outside.) i think also wind is maybe a factor as well because it put that color green into motion, so it might be kind of complicated. don't you normally feel good while you are driving? at least when you take the back roads? maybe the sense of movement also is a factor in stimulating your dopamine.
My Aloe plant dropped a big juicy leaf yesterday and it made for a great face mask, that skin hydration definitely made me feel better!
They’re plants. Not to be all natury and stuff, but we were literally MADE TO live among them. We’re bound to have some link with them.
Maybe it’s because they see that there is life around them, which gives them peace of mind(something like “hey there’s life around me I’m not alone” and “the plant is alive in this room and so that must mean I’m gong to survive etc...”something like that) and the reason why some experience this differently is maybe because they have different preferences for plants, and also some may not like plants which can lead to negative results
My room doesn’t even have a window it’s depression central
I feel for you that I actually teared up
This is how I feel about my garden. Especially with the plants coming out of snow like my snowdrops and hellebore.
I’m so excited to smell Camilla’s. I find home plants very puzzling because I don’t know what to do with them. I overwater them, over cut them or I don’t do enough…..I’m so confused.
I wanna own a pet cactus. They grumpy. They tough. They super easy to care for. Literally the perfect being.
Mind over matter!
Sometimes we don't need scientists to show that something is helpful!
This is pretty obvious in my eyes ^^
We underestimate often the little things in our life.
Question for SciShow Psych: Why are we more confident when behind a keyboard that in person?
Good question. And I would add, standing being a desk, podium etc, when you need to speak before a group.
If you’re referring to online text, I would presume it’s simply because there isn’t the face-to-face, personal contact, without the risk of true confrontation or connection.
I could be wrong but I think they already did a video on this!
@@sueg2658 Yes, all sorts of situations like that is what id be interested in
@@jwinthepro ik but then there are situations where there is no risk of confrontation, what about those? its sort of more of a fear of an awkward situation i think but i want to know why we fear it so much more in person
Even though they’re not houseplants, ever since I’ve started taking care of a small flower garden in the morning I’ve definitely been a little happier.
I have hundreds of potted plants and I have to say that, at that point, they aren't always stress reducing.
The act of seeing something live and grow can be appealing. The effect I reference can done with a developing program of something that interests the patients. For me this could be watching a computer program play the video game DotA 2 and developing strategies for competing better. Right now they have a bot which can win against pro players in a solo mid only game. They are in progress of making a full team that can do this too and it is exciting!
Well, I can't have any pets and I do have something of a maternal instinct, so I'd have to say mine make *me* happy.
I even gave them names
i mean, i would kill if anything happened to my tomatoes. caring for them and seeing they are well makes me incredibly happy.
Killing over it is harsh
@@ameliorated ever heard of hyperbole?
if you listen to them you realize how intelligent they actually are
If it's only visual or if there is a visual component to this, then compare these studies to studies of how the look of one's environment affects one's mood -such as having only solid colors, which colors, having patterns (such as in wallpaper) and what kind of patterns, overly busy patterns everywhere you look, etc. and of course the obvious -fake house plants.
Another thing to consider, in spaces with low ventilation, the effects of photosynthesis, and air purification (and humidification?) done by the plants.
I have put sweet potatoes in my fish tanks and I am trying to have the vines go throughout the house. Sofar we are off to a slow but good start.
I thought you were saying you fed sweet potatoes to your fish 😭
Houseplants make me nervous, because I know the plants outside have lots of spiders, and I am terrified of spiders, so having something in my house that I know spiders like to make homes out of makes me FREAKING SCARED.
The past few months I have been really depressed and upset for honestly no reason and a few weeks ago I bought a a BUNCH of plants and have been taking care of them and my mental health has improved sooo much and Ik this sounds odd but I’m honestly obsessed with plants now and now I’m building a green house
My plants make me very happy.
Like, extremely happy, and dizzy,
And high
A tip about what plants to buy if you have trouble with plants:
Peace Lilly.
That's it. Get a peace lilly. Why? Doesn't need direct sunlight. Can be bought in different sizes. Most importantly, it can be used to teach you how often to water your plants! Most people who have trouble with plants either over water or under water them, and either extreme is bad. And every environment is different - so it's impossible to say "once every X days, this amount". A peace lilly is a great teacher because if you leave it alone, and wait... WAIT until it starts drooping/wilting (peace lillies are obvious about it!), you now know you missed watering it by ONE day. If this is your first time watering it at your home, water it, whatever (reasonable) amount you think it needs, and then wait again until it wilts - you will then know how much water, and how often (one day less) to water it ...
Once you have your peace lilly routine sorted out (it may change with the seasons - most houses are much dryer in winter - so you might have to relearn each season) you can confidently assume most leafy plants (not cactus or succulents or orchids) in a similar sized pot will need a similar amount of watering on the same routine.
I agree..my peace lily is like a child that wants attention. Witnessing its leaves stood healthy an hour after watering them is quite amazing
They make me happier.
I have anxiety disorder, I will buy a vase of basil and give it a try. I like the smell of it and if I need to take care of a plant I might as well get something I can cook with. Worst case scenario: my mental health stays the same but I eat better food.
i have a schefflera arboricola and i love him🥰🌿💚
There is a little bit of evidence that plants might be good for your mental health therefore you should have house plants if you like them. A monumental stand for a science channel.
I like having something living in my house other than me, that is fairly simple to take care of.
Plllaaannnttttssss
love a good hank
I have a bunch of plants on my desk and they make me feel less crazy when i spend 6 hours studying for a test
I'm sure mine would if they didn't all die and leave me...
I can think of a plant that makes me QUITE happy...
So yes.
I learned from an Angel the other day that the best way to cultivate your plants is to yell at them and threaten them to behave or else be grinded in a blender
GROOOOOOOWW BETTEEEEEEEEEEER
Let me tell you a story about house plants.....
For years there were these tiny gnats and fuit flies that i would find dead in the sink of my bathroom and kitchen. No matter where i looked for the source, the place of entry, i just couldn't figure out where these little buggers were comming from.
Until one day.. when i needed to re-pot a houseplant that had happened to outgrown its home. As i pulled that plant out of the pot, to my astonishment the composition of the substrate of this pot was nearly 60-40%, maggots to dirt.
You know what i did next right... i checked every damn houseplant i own, and nearly all of them had some sorts of thriving subterranean communities amongst their roots. Some had colonies of centipedes, and others just pill bugs with the occasional worm.
Luckily for me, i like bugs. I have a pet spider of the sub genus phidippus audax, her name is spot. She's a mother to a few hundred spiderlings whom I'll need to promptly kick out of the house when they become of age.
Now, if this story makes you squeamish, or you're like a friend of mine and you suffer from debilitating Entomophobia. Then you may want to reconsider those house plants. Because as I've come to learn from other sources and a little research. This is quite the common ordeal. Though they may cause some degree of pleasure, it's been long disproven that they have any effect on air quality.
Enjoy your flora umbraticis, and please dont needlessly kill spiders. Eight legged lives matter.
Mikerphone, mine don’t have nearly that level of animal life. I get a few fungus gnats and the occasional pill bug that hitches a ride when I bring them inside for the winter, but otherwise, they’re pretty barren except for roots. I also get behind on watering a lot, so that might have something to do with it.
@@evilsharkey8954 Living things do indeed require water. Also you bring your indoor plants inside for winter?... i is confuse.
Mikerphone, many plants are happier if you keep their soil evenly moist, but they don’t die from getting a little on the dry side. Drier soil is harder for other organisms to live in.
I put many of my indoor plants outside during the summer so they can get rainwater and sunlight and so predatory insects can remove any pests. I bring them inside when it gets cold.
@@evilsharkey8954 I was speaking specifically about about the other organisms not the plants.
Ah so do you live somewhere relatively cool then, because you're trying to take advantage of some extra sunlight? Most indoor plant species require very little sunlight to begin with. For instance, off the top of my head i have some fern and ivy species, a few exotic flowering species and some succulents that require little to no sunlight, and a couple of other plants that need to be near a window.
Mikerphone, I live in Wisconsin in the USA. I have powerful indoor lights, and still many of my plants get leggy during the winter, especially the succulents. Most of them put out new growth and flower buds when they go outside. They just look better.
I also have city water which is chlorinated, fluoridated, and softened, and they hate it. I have to buy reverse osmosis water for them. Rainwater is free!
Yes!
They are alive. They are pretty. It’s interesting to see how they grow and change. They give us more oxygen. It seems more natural.
It feels like psychology is one of the only scientific studies we don't really know anything about. It is always a guessing game and then testing your hypothesis and the hypothesis is always based on very abstract logic
My room is already a jungle Hank.
It's not about data it's about what the plant represents. We have so much stress from work studying plans we're making and the digital world. But guess what this plant is here trying to live, this is its world it's trying to survive. That's what's beautiful it doesn't care about your plans because it's to busy in his own world to care. All it wants is water sunny light and lots of love and that's great and beautiful! It's a call back to a simpler time I guess you can say.
Study shows that if you like plants, you'll feel better when you see plants.
The Japanese has the wonderful word "Shinrin-yoku", or "forest bathing". Isn't there a study of how many trees is required to add a therapeutic effect on people? We build parks everywhere we can and people enjoy them. I have one specific plant in my house that I care some extra for, everyone I know got at least one plant in their home so something must be going on.
I believe that plants are talking to the patients.
I absolutely adore having plants.
I would say it's helped me out to let my brain slow down
They take time and although I've liked being a busy person, I've also realised it's brought on more useless thoughts, I can take the time plan something or just not stress out so much
PLANT YOUR NATIVE FLOWERS FOR THE FREAKING NATIVE BEE'S!
AND SHARE THE SEEDS WITH OTHER PEOPLE
I thought that this sounded like a hoax at first, but then I remembered something: when I was stuck in the hospital for several months, the thing I missed the most was hiking and being out amidst the conifers and other trees. I mean, walking was definitely something I missed, but I didn’t actively wish that I could walk around a city! So I guess it’s not totally a hoax after all!
my brother had a ton of house plants that he never bothered to re-pot, he began to get sick constantly one cold after another without knowing why. turns out most of the pots the plants were in had grown super moldy and he has a genetic abnormality which makes its very very difficult for his body to process and get rid of mold toxin. he now has an auto immune disorder from the mold and has been sick for almost two years. :|
Got distracted in the bit where you were talking about distraction because I was staring at my plants.
I bet plants make people feel more relaxed in general because we associate them with being outside in nature, where you can run and hide from the stress and scary things of everyday life. Plus, if you're in a (threatening) artificial environment (like an office, school or hospital) and you see lots of plants around you, you might feel like: if they are able to survive there, than so can you.
Hi Hank, I have ADHD/ASD and many people with ADHD report feeling more relaxed and being able to concentrate better out in nature or surrounded by plants. I'm not 100% sure but I think this has something to do with attention restoration theory. Delving into neurodiversities becomes complicated very quickly but I would be interested to see an episode of sci-show specifically about psychological evolutionary mismatch.
Yes.
I think SciShow should have more plants in ther video. Just like in this own
Science: Plants make humans happy
Politicians: They need more over priced housing STAT
Not sure how they missed this, but they need to test they differences in responses between real plants, fake plants that participants believe are real, and fake plants they know are fake.
There is plant that make me very happy
Fact check. At the beginning, the plant labeled a philodendron is actually a monstera.
It probably doesn't hurt that plants remove carbon dioxide and give off oxygen in the room.
That's my thought too
What about fake vrs real plants? Any difference?
Plants (that I'm not allergic to) at work or elsewhere are nice, but houseplants at home are overwhelming and depressing because they inevitably die, no matter what I do to them.