It is pleasant to have plants around the workplace – but can they really improve our health? Recent Japanese research suggests it can, and the choice of greenery may also make a difference.
The study investigated the effects of different office greening designs on 27 office workers, using tropical and Japanese plants.
The heart rate variability of the participants was not affected by green designs. However, the workers reported that the design using tropical plants promoted positive moods, and the Japanese design inhibited negative moods. Electroencephalography (EEG) results supported this data.
The greening rooms also enhanced neural efficiency during cognitive tasks.
Read more: Fukumoto, H, Shimoda, M & Hoshino, S The effects of different designs of indoor biophilic greening on psychological and physiological responses and cognitive performance of office workers | PLOS ONE Open access article