It's Time To Buy Yourself Some Flowers. Here's Why
Self-care is more than just an aesthetic, it's vital to maintaining your well-being and mental health. Taking care of yourself offers many desired health outcomes, such as improving sleep and your immune system. Self-care takes many forms; finding the best self-love practices for you can take some time. Good examples of self-care include asking for (and accepting) help from others, prioritizing rest, and exercising. But of course, showing yourself some love might be most effective if you pair activities with your love language. If you would do something for others, also consider doing it for yourself!
We are in the perfect season for one extra beautiful and delightful form of self-care — go out to buy flowers for yourself. Here is how keeping flowers in your space will elevate your self-care routine — and don't be afraid to incorporate some of these simple ways to make the most of your floral arrangement.
The health benefits of fresh flowers
Fresh flowers are not only good for the soul — they are also scientifically proven to improve certain health outcomes. "Tranquil environments can provide relief from stresses of every day," according to researchers from the University of Bradford. "The presence of vegetation and wildlife has been shown to be an important contributory factor to rated tranquillity," they found, citing that visuals you would see in nature — for instance, flowers — have positive impacts on people's ability to relax.
Flowers have specifically been found to incite positive emotions. A Rutgers study suggested that our long cultural history of presenting flowers as presents, associating them with nearby food, or some special quality that has made flowers natural mood enhancers for humans could be responsible for the significant mood boost we get from surrounding ourselves with fresh petals.
But it doesn't end with your emotional well-being. The presence of flowers in patients' rooms has been linked to more positive recoveries following major surgeries. One study examined how patients recovering from appendix surgery fared when they had flowers in their hospital rooms versus when they did not. Patients with flowers required fewer post-surgery pain relievers and "more positive physiological responses" in addition to better moods. Though we aren't exactly sure why stopping and smelling the roses is so beneficial for our health, being around fresh flowers may soothe your mind and body.
How having fresh flowers is a form of self-care
The advantages of partaking in self-care activities align with many of the pros associated with keeping fresh flowers. Though self-care cannot constitute a cure for physical or mental ailments, it can help you maintain a healthy mind and body while uplifting your general outlook on life. The same goes for flowers: they cannot ward off all the stressors in your life, but their positive impact can still be significant.
Nonetheless, some researchers have indicated that aromatherapy — the act of literally stopping to smell flowers and other pleasant scents — can be used as an alternative form of medicine to fight stress and depression, decrease inflammation, and help people fall asleep. A study out of Japan detailed how rats exposed to stress that had also sniffed fragrances "reduced the activity of more than 100 genes that go into overdrive in stressful situations." Having pleasant flowers to smell during your day could dampen anxious feelings.
One of our favorite stars has already jumped on the trend of buying herself flowers for self-care. Pop star Pink took to Instagram to document her #iloveme present. "STOP WAITING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BUY YOU FLOWERS," she wrote in her caption. So what are you waiting for? Buy yourself some flowers to show yourself the love and care you deserve.