If you tend to keep clutter around your home, you might already be well aware that it increases your stress. But you might not be aware that decaying plants can have the exact same effect. A new study done by the English Royal Horticultural Society has found that there are some mental health effects caused by having dead or dying plants around your home.
Healthy plants can not only liven up a room, they can also help oxygenate a space and absorb toxins from the air. If you take care of them well, you may definitely notice a shift in your mood for the better. But it has now become known that having a dead plant around can help cause or exacerbate depression.
The study asked its participants to rate various plants in different stages of decay on their appearance and perceived ability to purify the air. Participants in the study thought that the appearance of some dying plants were “unhealthy and depressing.”
“This important finding shows that to benefit occupants’ well-being, sick or dead plants should be removed from the indoor environment,” wrote the authors of the study. The study also concluded that people should stray from decorating their home or office with plants that feature the color brown, because these plants could increase feelings of sadness or depression.