As florists, we witness how flowers relieve stress in our daily work, and now a new university study has proven it. Learn how living with flowers can reduce your holiday stress!
Everyday life is filled with challenges that can have an impact on our well-being. Now, as the holiday season kicks into high gear, so too do our emotions. While this is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year filled with high spirits, many people also report heightened stress levels.
Holiday Stress
It’s always important to maintain a regimen of all the things we know are important to our good health such as, eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep–which can be especially challenging during the holidays.
As it turns out, flowers are a proven simple way to bring some additional peace and joy to this time of hustle and bustle.
New research conducted by the University of North Florida verifies what we’ve known all along about how the power of flowers relieve stress. The study, The Impact of Flowers on Perceived Stress Among Women, found adding flowers to indoor environments results in a meaningful reduction in stress.
Building on prior behavioral research done at Harvard, Rutgers and Texas A&M which found flowers make people happy, inspire creativity, heighten feelings of compassion and even improve energy, this new University of North Florida study is the first study to provide empirical evidence showing that flowers relieve stress.
In fact, the average reduction in stress among women who received and lived with flowers was -5.5 points on the Perceived Stress Questionnaire, a strong statistical significance in a decrease in stress, and a powerful conclusion.
Impact of Stress
According to lead researcher for the study, Erin Largo-Wright, Ph.D., program director at the University of North Florida’s Department of Public Health, “Stress is a leading public health indicator today. It’s extremely prevalent and considered a major factor in physical as well as mental health…”
It’s no wonder a subsequent survey by Wakefield Research found 68 percent of people say they feel stress on a weekly basis and 32 percent admit they feel stress every day. While stress is not exclusive to women, the research showed stress is particularly felt by women, with 1 in 4 experiencing stress multiple times a day. Research also shows stress is disproportionately felt by women during the holidays, with 44 percent of women reporting an increase of stress versus 31 percent of men.
The Power of Flowers to Relieve Stress | Top 3 Tips
Life is busy, we all work hard, have our own unique set of responsibilities and the list of things to accomplish seems never-ending. Now more than ever, and maybe most importantly during the holidays, we need to practice better care for ourselves and for others.
Practice Self Care
We all know when we are lacking in time for ourselves – mentally and physically. You may not be able to find the time to take that bubble bath, get in a run or lose yourself in a good book, but it’s easy to treat yourself to flowers. Bring your favorite flowers into your home or office space as a gesture of self-care and you’ll be rewarded with an improved mood that can help you tackle the world!
Practice Kindness
Partners, family and friends lean on each other. We share our burdens and solve problems together. The reality is, our personal or work obligations may keep us from doing as much as we would like and there are some things we have little control over. What we can do is look out for our loved ones. The holidays can be extremely difficult for some. If you know someone who is struggling with stress, loneliness or feeling a loss, sending flowers is a kind way to remind them they’re loved and appreciated. We discreetly accommodate orders from, “Anonymous” any time.
Color Your World
The science of Color psychology is the study of colors in relation to human behavior, a determinant of essential balance of mind, body and emotion. Studies have shown different hues influence everything from our mood to our buying decisions. In color therapy, color chakras are believed to be seven hues of energy corresponding to bodily glands and organs that affect physical and mental health. Give or get what speaks to you from our Flourish Collections, inspired by color and designed to bring good vibes.
The Difference Will Delight You
2018 marks 90 years in business for Studley Flower Gardens. Since our inception as your local florist in 1928, our flowers have marked many milestones. We are privileged to be a part of marking many precious moments of happiness, joy and comfort through the years. From weddings, babies, birthdays, romance and anniversaries, to get well, sympathy, special occasions or just because, each arrangement we offer under the Studley’s brand is our own proprietary design, uniquely conceived and prepared with our customers and their loved ones in mind.
Floral delivery is available locally or nationwide and available same day on orders placed by 2pm. Fresh Grab & Go floral bouquets are always at the ready in-store or at our kiosk location at Fiddlehead Farms in Somersworth, NH for those random acts of kindness for yourself or someone else.
My Pro Tip:
Let’s face it – stress is nothing but a ball of pent-up emotional energy and when emotions spill over into our work life, home life or other relationships we usually come away with regret. When you are feeling the pressure or just simply feeling uninspired, take time out for yourself. Not everyone knows it, but it’s no secret that being in nature has healing effects. We invite you to take a detour from your errands or skip out on your lunch break to visit us to find some serenity in the greenhouse. You’ll find the warmth and solitude combined with the scent of the earth and fresh flowers is the perfect prescription to soothe the soul!
See you at Studley’s!
