Top 10 Plants to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Having struggled for years with stress and anxiety I now realize I didn’t pay attention to how much my lifestyle could impact my stress levels. Reducing daily stress requires not only dietary changes but lifestyle changes too!
I’ve always enjoyed plants but didn’t realize until a couple years ago that some of them are natural adaptogens! Adaptogens can combat fatigue, enhance mental performance, ease depression and anxiety, and help you thrive. The concept of an adaptogen is a holistic approach to health.
Being out in nature is known for its mood boosting properties so it makes sense that having them in your home is extremely beneficial.
I know that not everyone is a plant mom/dad but these ones are super easy to take care of I promise! I used to be horrible with plants but when I learned about how healthy they were for me, I started a plant watering routine that helps me take care of them. Check your plants every morning or add a recurring event into your calendar to remind yourself.
1. Basil Plant
What it does for you: This plant acts as a natural adaptogen to help the body adapt to stress and promotes mental balance. From the leaf to the seed basil is known to be a natural tonic for the mind, body, and spirit.
Basil Care Tips
Water regularly: Basil likes to stay moist and requires approximately 1 inch of water every week.
Fertilize lightly: Basil is a vigorous grower requiring very little to no fertilization.
Pinch back leaves: Pinch leaves from the tips of your basil as soon as the plant has two sets of true leaves.
Basil thrives in full sun and warm temperatures.
Companion planting: Using this technique gives basil an excellent advantage. It may be an old gardener's tale, but many say, and I wholeheartedly believe, that planting basil with your tomatoes makes both taste better. Some of my favorite companion plants for basil include oregano, lettuce, tomatoes and peppers.
2. Jasmine Plant
What it does for you: The beautiful flowers on this plant are pleasing to the eye and a natural way to reduce stress and anxiety at work and home. This gorgeous plant adds brightness to any room with it's soft white flowers, and keeps your surroundings fresh with its fragrance and fresh oxygen supply.
Jasmine Care Tips:
Jasmine grows well in full sun and partially shaded areas. They type of jasmine you have in addition to the climate will determine how much sun the plant needs.
Water Jasmine about once a week, or when the top 1 inch of the soil is dry. In the hotter months, you may need to water more often. Make sure it has adequate drainage.
Plant jasmine in porous material as well as bark, peat, and other soil that drains well. Soil needs to be moist but not soggy.
Fertilize jasmine twice a year with fertilizer that is rich in potassium and phosphorus.
3. Aloe Vera Plant
What it does for you: The aloe vera plant has many health benefits. This succulent helps cut down the harmful radiations from electronic devices and is a natural air purifier that helps to reduce anxiety and stress by giving you fresh air to breathe. Added bonus, this plant is low maintenance!
Aloe Vera Care Tips:
The proper pot: Plant aloe vera in pots made from porous materials like terra-cotta that help the soil to dry out between watering. Also make sure the pot has drainage holes that allow excess water to drain away.
Replicate aloe vera's natural environment by planting in dry, sandy soil. Use soil with perlite, coarse sand, lava rock, or a mixture of all three.
Aloe vera loves sunlight, so place in a very sunny spot in your home or office.
Water deeply, but infrequently. Water about once a week in summer months and twice a month in cooler months, and allow an inch or two of soil to dry before giving your plant more water.
4. Snake Plant
What it does for you: Snake plants are one of the best anti-anxiety plants you can have in your home! They improve the air quality by removing harmful toxins and providing you fresh air to breathe. Also, they can help ease headaches, eye irritations, and breathing problems.
Snake Plant Care Tips:
Snake plants prefer bright, indirect light and can even tolerate some direct sunlight. They also grow in low-light areas. All-in-all, they are an easy plant!
Do not water too frequently. Check the soil before watering and allow a couple inches of soil to dry before giving your plant more water.
Gently wipe they leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.
5. Lavender Plant
What it does for you: The lavender scent is well-known for relaxation, so why not have a lavender plant in your home? This sweet smell helps soothe the mind and relieves anxiety and stress, and can even help induce sleep. The beautiful purple flowers also add a beautiful touch to any room, making it even more soothing.
Lavender Care Tips:
Lavender does best when it receives as much light as possible. Place near a south-facing window or where it can get a minimum of three to four hours of direct sunlight.
Water sparingly: Drench thoroughly with water and allow the soil to dry out between waterings, but don’t let it get so dry that the plant wilts.
Lavender does not like cold temperatures. In the winter month, make sure it's clear of any drafts and forced-air heat and place on a sunny, warm windosill or shelf.
Prune occasionally to promote new growth, but be aware that flowers are produced at the branch tips and constant tip pruning will reduce flowering.
6. Chamomile Plant
What it does for you: The chamomile plant is an excellent plant to have at home to help reduce stress and anxiety. The sweet fragrance from its flowers helps calm the nervous system, and the little white flowers add calm and beauty to any environment. Bonus: You can harvest he flowers for a calming teas.
Chamomile Plant Care Tips:
Chamomile plants thrive in partially-shaded areas. They do not like a lot of direct sunlight or heat. Place the pot near a south-facing window and ensure it gets about four hours of sunlight per day.
The soil should be kept moist but not overly wet. Watering once per week should be enough.
Chamomile does not need fertilizer; it grows quickly without any particular need for feeding.
7. Areca Plant
What it does for you: The areca plant is a popular plant for homes and offices for its air-purifying properties. It's a low-maintenance plant is easy to care for and has been shown to lower anxiety levels and blood pressure, which in turn helps us to calm our mental and physical state.
Areca Plant Care Tips:
Lighting: The areca plant likes bright, indirect light from a south- or west-facing window. Too much direct light will turn the leaves yellowish-green.
Repot every two to three years to replace soil. Use palm potting soil or a general purpose mix with a handful of clean builder’s sand.
Water them often enough to keep the soil lightly moist in spring and summer, and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings in fall and winter.
8. Peppermint Plant
What it does for you: The minty-fragrance from the peppermint plant keeps you feeling refreshed in your space. Peppermint plants have menthol which is known to ease stress and keeps you energized throughout the day. Also, having those delicious fresh leaves on hand for cooking is an added bonus!
Peppermint Plant Care Tips:
The proper pot: Choose a pot that is wider than it is tall and has drainage holes.
Place your peppermint plant right in front of a window and give it as much direct sunshine indoors that you can. It will need at least four to six hours of direct sun for best results. Rotate the pot frequently so the plant grows straight.
Peppermint plants prefer a moist soil, however they do not like to sit in water. In between thorough waterings allow the top inch to become dry and then water again. Remove any excess water for the pot saucer.
Never mist the plant or allow the leaves to get wet.
9. English Ivy Plant
What it does for you: The english ivy plant is packed with beneficial properties! It has been shown to reduce headaches and promote a good night’s sleep. It's also great for those who wish to calm their allergies, particularly if they suffer from asthma.
English Ivy Care Tips:
English ivy likes medium light best, but can also do well in bright light.
English ivy does not like wet soil. Wait to water until the top inch or so of the soil dries out. It's best to keep this houseplant a little too dry than little too wet. Make sure that the pot the ivy is growing is has drainage holes to prevent the soil from getting too wet.
English ivy likes they do like moist air (not moist soil). Increase the humidity around your plants by adding pebbles to a saucer, then adding water. Set your ivy on the pebbles and the water will evaporate, raising the humidity around the plant.
It likes cooler temps between 50 to 70°F.
10. Chrysanthemum
What it does for you: Adding nature and beauty to your space can help reduce stress, anxiety, and worry. The chrysanthemum is no exception! It's bright beautiful leaves add a stunning element to any room. This plant has also been found to reduce the activity of certain genes that go into overdrive during stressful situations.
Chrysanthemum Care Tips:
Regular watering is a crucial part of indoor chrysanthemum care. Water the plant from under the leaves to help prevent fungal issues.
Cut off the flowers after they wilt. Doing so encourages further blooming and keeps the plants clean. Cut back the foliage after it dies naturally in fall.
Set potted mums indoors near a window that receives bright, indirect sunlight all day and maintain their daytime temperatures near 70 to 75°F.
