Research undertaken by The Agricultural University, Norway (2000), studied the health response of people exposed to indoor plants and full-spectrum fluorescent lamps. In total 229 participants were recruited from three different work environments: an office building, a hospital X-ray department and a junior high school. Over the period of several months, the participants were asked to self-report health or discomfort symptoms.
The findings from the randomised study indicate that compared to baseline measurements, during the period of exposure to plants, or plants and full-spectrum lighting:
- There was a 21–25 % decrease in reported sickness symptoms
Furthermore, the researchers found that the greatest improvement in symptoms were found to be a reduction in:
- Neuropsychological symptoms – e.g. headache and fatigue
- Mucous membrane symptoms – e.g. dry and hoarse throat
The researcher comments that for only a small economic investment, the use of indoor plants have the potential to increase productivity, work satisfaction, and reduce sick-leave.