The beauty of plants and the act of caring for them can be truly therapeutic. “Seeing beautiful things activates neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin,” Cates explains. Having plants around you can help your brain look forward to interacting with them, releasing “feel-good neurochemicals,” which can have immediate benefits like improved mood and stress management, Cates says.
Plants can also “positively impact the whole person,” says Dr. Amy Rosenberg, naturopathic doctor and president of the Massachusetts Society of Naturopathic Doctors. “Treating the whole person means taking care of the body, emotions, and mind, and plants can affect each of these important areas,” Dr. Rosenberg explains.
There may also be long-term benefits, such as improving air quality to reduce headaches and adding moisture to the air to help with dry skin, says Rosenberg. Working with microbial soil can also promote diversity in your home's microbiome, which may benefit your gut and skin health.
But having houseplants alone is not a recommended treatment for any medical condition, Rosenberg adds: “Encouraging patients to consider having houseplants is part of a broader, individualized health care plan.”