We often buy flowers for other people and on special occasions. But what about giving yourself a nice bouquet once in a while?
The truth is that giving flowers stretches right back to ancient times when people would gather blooms from the fields and give them to friends and family. But simply the act of having freshly cut flowers in the home, even in the office, can have some amazing side effects.
If your latest beau isn’t rushing out to the florist soon, here are a few reasons why you should make the effort yourself. Splashing out on a nice bouquet for the living room can:
- Put a Big Smile on Your Face
A smile is just a smile, right? Well, no, that’s not exactly the case. Psychologists and anthropologists think there are different kinds of smiles.
One of these is called the Duchenne smile and it lights up your face, causing your eyes to wrinkle. It is considered the most authentic reflection of happiness.
According to some research, people who receive flowers often smile in this way. The thing is, even seeing a colourful and fresh bouquet on a tabletop can bring a smile to your face. If you feel happy, you feel better about the world around you.
- Boosting Compassion
Whether it’s the case that people who love flowers tend to be more compassionate anyway or having flowers in the home engenders that sort of response, we can’t be quite sure. According to some research in the US, however, the simple act of having flowers at home is enough to raise compassion levels and reduce anxiety and alleviate depression.
- Be More Creative and Productive
With many of us working from home nowadays, finding ways to keep productivity high and those creative juices flowing has become a popular pursuit online. While transcendental meditation and HIIT workout sessions may help, so can putting some colourful flowers on your office desk.
One study in Texas looked at how different environments affect our ability to solve problems. Those who were in an office where there were freshly cut flowers showed a higher level of idea generation than those who were in a bare room. Another recent study of more than 7,000 workers found that those who were in offices that contained plants were around 6% more productive.
- Pain Perception
Being in an environment where there are freshly cut flowers may help us manage or perceive pain in different more beneficial ways. Scientists found that patients recovering from surgery who were in rooms with flowers seemed to feel less pain than those who weren’t.
- Stress and Anxiety
If you are someone who regularly gets stressed out, adding a few flowers to your home and office is an affordable and simple way to help reduce tension. Whether it’s the colourful display or the heady fragrance, there’s no doubt that those blooms can make a difference to the way we think and feel.
So, the next time you pass our stunning florist in Wanaka, and you see a colourful bouquet, think about buying it for yourself – it could have some amazing benefits.
