Here's What Having Fresh Flowers In Your Home Can Do For Your Health

After a cold winter, the sight of fresh flowers can stir the most dormant of spirits — when you add them to your home, they can captivate your gaze at all hours of the day. There's a reason why flowers are a hallmark of most major life events — they evoke different emotions and provide the calming effect of the great outdoors. If you're looking to brighten your outlook and feel more vivacious as the days grow longer or get shorter, picking up a bouquet can be an excellent addition to your self-care practice.

Flowers' impact on mental health are hard to deny. The HuffPost cites a study finding that hospital patients who had potted plants and bright flowers in their rooms reported feeling less tired and anxious, needed less medication following their operations, and recorded lower blood pressure and pulse rates. In general, they seemed in better spirits than those who stayed in rooms without greenery or floral accents as well. Indeed, a Harvard study found that people who frequently placed flowers in their spaces found it easier to show compassion to others and felt more uplifted themselves (via FloraQueen).

The plants can also positively impact your performance at work, helping you feel more creative and present throughout the day, the HuffPost reports.

Some of these benefits stem from the influx of fresh oxygen that plants readily give off. Plants can increase the humidity within your home while decreasing the levels of CO2, the Greatist reports. Providing your space with freshened air and a brighter outlook, flowers and plants are for more than just your garden.

But, as far as choosing the right colors for you, always go with your gut. If you like roses, spring for the roses. If you're aiming to create a certain experience, it's important to note that various hues can spur opposing emotions. To feel calmer, find brighter colors that are less saturated, the HuffPost suggests. For an energizing experience, look for deeper hues with a greater level of saturation. For example, you can place orange Gerber daisies on your desk to reap the energizing benefits. Furthermore, when choosing a multi-flower bouquet, note that contrasting colors will uplift while similar hues will contribute to a more relaxed atmosphere.

Of course, their natural beauty provides the visual benefits that can bring beauty into even the sparsest of corners of your home. FloraQueen recounts the blossoming effects that flowers can have on your interior design, saying that choosing your favorite stems can add a refresh to your space.

With physical and mental health benefits that have helped people all over the world for years, those grocery store flowers may be worth a few extra bucks.