Health Benefits of Fresh Flowers

Updated on April 8, 2021
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As if you need another reason to have fresh flowers delivered to your door, let’s talk about the health benefits that fresh flowers have to offer. That’s right. Beyond just looking and smelling beautiful, your favorite bouquet could have some surprising health benefits.  

Potted plants have additional benefits, so you might consider bringing one or more plants into your home and having a regular delivery of fresh flowers. 

Health Benefits of Fresh Flowers

Fresh flowers, such as the ones provided by SnapBlooms, offer a surprising number of health benefits. Here are just a few things that flowers may help with. 

Stress Relief and Relaxation

A review of 37 studies concluded that viewing any kind of natural scenery led to more relaxed body responses, and visual contact with flowers, green plants, and wooden materials had positive effects on the nervous system. That means participants in the study didn’t just appear to be more relaxed, but their bodies proved it.  

What does that mean for you?

Keeping a fresh bouquet of flowers in a highly visible area can actually help you feel more calm and relaxed overall. If you’ve been socially distancing since the beginning of the pandemic, you may be feeling more stressed than usual, so bring in some beautiful flowers to help get you through these hard times. 

Fewer Symptoms of Depression

Another study showed that hospital patients who had flowers in their room had fewer symptoms of depression than those who didn’t. 

Seniors are at high risk for depression, even in “normal” times. Now, thanks to the pandemic and the ensuing economic distress it has caused, more people than ever are experiencing symptoms of depression for the first time. 

If you’ve been struggling with feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, emptiness, or other signs of depression, a flower bouquet won’t cure everything. However, anything that helps you feel a little better during this trying time is a good thing. Colorful flowers may remind you of happy times in your past and give you hope for happy times in the future. 

Reduced Pain

Women with fibromyalgia, a condition that causes chronic pain, who participated in a flower-arranging course for 12 weeks experienced less pain and improved mental health than a control group who didn’t.

It’s not clear whether just looking at flowers would have the same pain-relieving benefits as arranging flowers. However, even if they don’t physically reduce your pain, the stress relief brought on by looking at beautiful flowers can still help you feel better if you struggle with chronic pain. You could also experiment with flower arranging as a new hobby. 

Lower Levels of Anxiety

Some studies have shown that fresh flowers can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety was already the most common mental illness, affecting 40 million adults per year before the pandemic hit. Now, more people than ever are dealing with anxiety.

Seniors, who are at greater risk of severe COVID-19, may be suffering from anxiety about the risk of being infected or the difficulty of social distancing. Many people are missing contact with their families.

High levels of anxiety can be crippling. Isn’t it worth the cost of a flower arrangement to try to reduce your anxiety levels? 

Mindfulness and Recognizing the Passage of Time

Since different flowers are in season different months of the year, flowers can help mark the passage of time. If your normal routine has been disrupted by the pandemic, then getting a new bouquet of flowers each month might help add a new layer of routine to your life. 

Since cut flowers are relatively short-lived, they’re also a wonderful reminder to live each day as fully as you can. That may feel harder than ever now, but it’s still possible. 

Health Benefits of Live Plants

Live plants offer as many health benefits as flowers do. Here are some of the best reasons to bring some plants into your home. 

Oxygen Production

Every time we exhale, we release carbon dioxide. Plants take that carbon dioxide and, with the help of sun and water, turn it into oxygen. While a potted plant or two certainly won’t replace an oxygen tank, there is unlikely to be any downside to having a little bit of fresh oxygen released in your home every day from a live plant. 

Humidity

Since they need to be watered regularly, plants can help increase the humidity level inside your home. Dry air can lead to things like a cough, dry skin, sore throat, or even an increased risk of infection. 

If you live in a very dry part of the country, or if you prefer to keep your windows closed with the heat or air conditioner running all the time, your home and health might benefit from the touch of humidity that a plant can bring to your home. 

Reduced Stress

The color green has been associated with reduced levels of stress, which is an excellent reason to have one or more plants in your home. Adding some natural color with a flowering plant can do even more to help reduce stress and bring feelings of peace and happiness. 

We could all use some reduced stress these days. A plant may just help you do that. 

Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Flowers and Plants

All in all, flowers and plants provide plenty of health and happiness benefits. Think of your next flower delivery not as a splurge, but as an investment in your overall wellbeing. These are trying times, but regular flower delivery might just make life a little better in the meantime.  

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Senior Outlook Today is your go-to source for information, inspiration, and connection as you navigate the later years of life. Our team of experts and writers is dedicated to providing relevant and engaging content for seniors, covering topics such as health and wellness, finances, technology and travel.