10 Best Indoor Plants For Home And Office To Reduce Stress And Anxiety

People of all ages and backgrounds will experience feelings of stress and anxiety in their lifetime. If you have ever studied or worked, you are probably very familiar with the impact stress and anxiety can have on both physical and mental health. You probably haven't paid much attention to indoor plants for your office yet, have you?

But did you know that plants have been proven to ease symptoms of stress and anxiety? You might not believe us, but our surroundings play a huge part in our day-to-day mood, and plants can actually have a substantial impact on how we think and feel. 

So, you’re probably thinking, which indoor plants for the office are best at easing stress and anxiety? We’ve put together a list of air-purifying and mood-boosting indoor plants that are suitable for both home and office spaces. 

1. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)

Number one on the list is the Peace Lily. Not only has this houseplant long been associated with peace and tranquillity (the clue’s in the name, after all), but it’s also great at filtering harmful toxins from the air around you.

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright to medium indirect light
• Water: Keep soil slightly moist
• Pet Friendly: No

2. Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)

Next up is the classic Aloe Vera. Everyone knows this plant is famous for its soothing, calming properties (what better way to relax?) But what you may not know is that it’s also great at improving air quality! Need a new office desk plant? Look no further.

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright, indirect light
• Water: Allow soil to dry out before watering
• Pet Friendly: No

3. Snake Plant Tricolor (Sansevieria trifasciata Laurentii)

Also on the list is the well-known Snake Plant. This houseplant comes with all the benefits of a houseplant without being too demanding! Its foliage is great at drawing dust and dirt from the air, making for a cleaner indoor climate. 

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright, indirect light to low artificial light 
• Water: Allow soil to dry out before watering
• Pet Friendly: No

4. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Next on the list is the fantastic Spider Plant. Included on NASA’s list of purifying plants, the Spider Plant is proven to remove formaldehyde and benzene from the air. Healthy body = Happy mind! The Spider Plant is another great office desk plant.

• Care Level:Easy
• Light:Bright/medium indirect light 
• Water:Allow top two inches of soil to dry before watering and drain any excess water
• Pet Friendly: Yes

5. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

We also recommend adding the English Ivy to your collection. This plant is great at filtering airborne toxins from the air and is even said to remove allergens such as mould from your space! Also included in NASA’s Clean Air Study.

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright/medium indirect light 
• Water: Allow top two inches of soil to dry before watering
• Pet Friendly: No

6. Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)

We’ve chosen the Polka Dot Plant for its bright, unique foliage because we think that adding a pop of color to your space is a sure-fire way to boost your mood.

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright/medium indirect light 
• Water: Keep soil consistently moist
• Pet Friendly: Yes

7. Croton 'Gold Dust' (Codiaeum variegatum)

Instantly lift your mood by adding a sprinkling of gold dust to your space. This little number is guaranteed to make you smile. 

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright, indirect light
• Water: Allow top few inches of soil to dry before watering
• Pet Friendly: No

8. Dracaena ‘Janet Craig Compacta’ (Dracaena fragrans)

Also included in NASA’s Clean Air Study, the Janet Craig is not only great at cleaning the air around it, but it is also great at adapting to lower light conditions, making it the ideal office desktop plant! 

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright/medium indirect light
• Water: Allow top layer of soil to dry before watering
• Pet Friendly: No

9. String of Dolphins (Senecio peregrinus)

We’ve selected string of dolphins because we know that its dolphin-like foliage is enough to bring a smile to anyone’s face!

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright, indirect light
• Water: Allow soil to dry out before watering
• Pet Friendly: No

10. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

And last but not least is the marvellous ZZ Plant! Known for its air-purifying abilities and tolerance for low light levels, it’s the perfect companion to any space. One of our favorite home office plants!

• Care Level: Easy
• Light: Bright/low indirect light
• Water: Allow soil to dry out before watering
• Pet Friendly: No

Causes of stress and anxiety

Stress and anxiety can be caused by a wide range of things. The most common being life changes, grief, or any kind of emotional or mental pressure. 

One of the most recognized causes of stress is work. More often than not, feelings of stress and anxiety arise from being under immense pressure. This is often the case for people who work in fast-paced jobs and for extremely long hours. This is why indoor plants for the office can make all the difference.

What kind of impact do stress and anxiety have?

Stress can affect everyone in different ways. 

Insomnia is one of the main side effects of stress and anxiety. Worrying and uncertainty can keep you up at night, meaning that you may not get the amount of sleep that you need to function. 

When combined with a lack of sleep, too much stress can impact your mental performance. This may affect your ability to concentrate and can prevent you from working to your full capacity. It can also cause you to become forgetful. 

So how exactly do plants reduce feelings of stress and anxiety?

Keeping flowers or plants in your home or work environment has been proven to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety (why else do you think people give flowers as gifts?) For many of us, the home has become the office in recent years, making it all the more important to fill our living space with things that make us happy! And with this shift, we have been on the look out for suitable home office plants.

First of all, owning houseplants gives us a sense of purpose. Keeping our little plant buddies alive is a reason to get up in the morning, giving us something to look forward to. 

Secondly, looking after houseplants can be therapeutic. Watering and caring for our plants may distract us from our commitments, even if only for a few minutes at a time.

Thirdly, home office plants are all-round mood-boosters. They remind us of the outdoors, reduce feelings of tension and have been shown to improve productivity!

And finally, according to NASA, indoor plants can remove up to 87% of toxins from the air. This makes for a healthier living environment, which is reflected in our mood and wellbeing.