Oscar Wilde once said: “Flowers bloom for their own pleasure.” This quote, seemingly profound, is scientifically flawed.
It seems that flowers do not just bloom for themselves. Their positive impact on our health is perhaps esoteric, but extraordinary nonetheless.
Flowers reduce cortisol and increase well-being
We live in a society where stressors flood our daily lives. From the prevalence of electronic screens to the consumption of processed foods to disappointing headlines, we ride an emotional roller coaster every day that has a profound impact on our health and longevity.
However, there are many simple and effective lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the negative health effects of stress and anxiety. Perhaps the most beautiful way is to incorporate more plants and flowers into our lifestyle.
“When you’re in the vicinity of plants, your body can respond by reducing the amount of cortisol in your saliva,” says Melinda Knuth, assistant professor of horticultural sciences at North Carolina State University.
Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, is very important to our health. However, chronic elevations can lead to immunosuppression, illness and delayed healing.
“Reducing our physical stress response helps us feel refreshed and more calm,” she told The Epoch Times.
Beautiful flowers promote healing
Hypothesizing that flowers have a unique ability to promote healing by downregulating elevated cortisol, researchers clinical trial To investigate whether the presence of flowers affects recovery from various surgeries in patients.
Remember: The flowers were used for ornamental purposes, not for medical purposes.
Of the 90 participants in the study, half had flowers in their recovery rooms, while the other half had no flowers in their rooms.
In this study, patients in the flower room had significantly better physiological responses, as evidenced by lower systolic blood pressure and less pain, anxiety, and fatigue than patients in the other rooms. It has been found.
The study concluded that the presence of ornamental flowers proved to be “an effective complementary medicine for surgical patients.”
These findings puzzle many, but contribute to a larger problem. body of evidence This highlights how a quiet, sterile environment affects our health and healing speed.
“Over the past century, humanity has experienced a technological revolution that has made us more sedate and remote from nature as we have stayed more indoors,” Knuth said. rice field. Removing nature from our daily lives goes against our biological instincts, she says.
So our closeness to nature, even if it’s just a bouquet of flowers on the counter, creates an environment that nurtures health.
Flowers promote better sleep
Multiple studies have proven that flowers promote better sleep, just as they foster a better healing environment and reduce stress levels.
in one Randomized crossover studyresearchers found that indoor plants support feelings of ‘comfort’ and ‘rest’, which are associated with better sleep quality.
of another studyresearchers found that bedroom flowers “can greatly regulate human emotions and sleep through their colors and scents.”
Many medicinal properties of flowers
We have benefited from just being near flowers, but humans have also harnessed the power of flowers for thousands of years. Below is a list of flowers with unique medicinal properties used as teas, essential oils and tinctures.
Mother’s Day flowers are not only a way to show your appreciation to your mother, but also a way to make her healthy.
