Cabin fever is creeping in, bringing with it all manner of winter ills, including colds, boredom and lack of productivity. But an ongoing body of research points to one universal cure -- plants.
In a study published in August, researchers from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences found that working in an environment with live plants increased employees scores on memory tests, supporting previous findings that vegetation can help us be more productive.
University of Michigan psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan explained to Fast Company earlier this week, just how the plant-productivity connection works, by way of a theory they call "attention restoration."
In short, attention restoration works much like sleep to help shift our minds from the energy-sapping tasks that require our direct attention to more "indirect" or "effortless" forms of engagement, as Fast Company explains. And, according to studies, even brief encounters with nature -- such as a glimpse of a plant on a desk -- can have major restorative effects.
"If you have little moments of looking up and seeing something that brings that resource back a little bit, some of those should make a huge difference," Kaplan said.
The recent findings follow a long line of evidence in the case for bringing nature indoors, including reports that plants can also help you de-stress.
Here's are 10 (black-thumb-proof) botanicals to help you do it.
10 House Plants To De-Stress Your Home
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