by Malin Jones | Lifestyle Journalist
Budding flowers are the sign that spring has finally arrived. Fresh cut grass, the sounds of bees and birds and the blossoming of a never-ending spectrum of colourful flowers.
Flowers play any important part in our lives; we give them as gifts, use as decorations and take inspiration from them.
But how can our daily use of flowers actually help us? It’s been discovered that flowers can have positive effects on our mental, physical and emotional health.
For you to get the most out of a bouquet and more, we ran down the top five ways flowers can benefit us in our everyday lives.
Increase productivity and creativity
A recognised interior design element is that offices and spaces should be colourful. This is to keep yourself and employees alert, excited and creative when working. Certain colours are said to boost productivity and creativity, and whilst it may not pass to paint a whole space green or orange, there are ways in which you can get that boost your workspace so desperately needs.
It’s said that by simply placing a vase of flowers in one’s space can increase productivity.
The addition of flowers and green plants can also help with focus on work, also benefiting one’s productivity. Generally having plants in a space can make it feel more welcoming and brighter.
The addition of colourful flowers and greenery is going to help boost anyone’s creative bones plus, they’re soothing to the eyes.
Fall into a deep sleep
Long believed to be one of the best natural remedies to help with sleep, the popular flower, Lavender is now heavily used and encouraged within sleep products. Sleeping is very important to the human body and with many of us stuck on our screens, the simple task of dozing off can be a difficult one. The Lavender scent, whether used in oils, sprays etc has been proven to lower one’s heart rate and blood pressure, making you feel more relaxed. A very easy addition to add to one’s bedtime routine, the scent will ease you into a restful sleep.
Even Chamomile is said to help calm one’s body and help slow their body down for a good night’s sleep.
In sickness and in health
Herbal and natural remedies have been used within medicine for centuries. Many of us still prefer to look for a natural option to cure a simple headache and of sorts before reaching for the medicine cabinet. Flowers have been proven to help with physical health such as in horticultural therapy, improving one’s mood to encourage the body to heal itself.
Flowers can also help cure the common cold. With many of us going without our masks, we might be more suspectable to an early spring cold. Helping to reduce symptoms and ease you into recovery, the Echinacea can be found in products to add to hot drinks and as tablets – a natural cold and flu tablet.
Mood boosting blooms
Flowers have the power to change one’s emotions. When you get the gift of a bouquet, you’re automatically happier. We tend to associate colours with emotions so why wouldn’t we do the same for flowers? Colours and scents can also impact our emotions for the better. Red roses relate to love and lust whilst sunflowers can signify happiness due to its bright yellow tones.
The simple act of looking at flowers as you pass them on a walk or inhaling their scents can help with anxiety, stress and depression. It’s always a good idea if you’re feeling a bit deflated to buy yourself a bouquet of flowers. Your mood will instantly be lifted, and you’ll have something beautiful to look at each day.
Inside and out
With natural beauty and skincare products on the rise, we look to our gardens and see how the flowers can help us look and feel more youthful. The Evening Primrose Flower has been featured in oils and moisturisers to help with skin conditions such as eczema as well as inflammation.
Roses are also featured within skincare products in the form of rose oil, rose water and tea. Said to help reduce redness, balance the skins natural oils, hydrate, reduce pores, prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, the flower has a multitude of uses. Furthermore, consumption of the flower through teas and garnishes can act as a natural antioxidant whilst decreasing anxiety and pain.
