Study Shows Flowers are Natural Mood Enhancers
Flowers really do make us feel better. That is according to research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The sight of flowers, concludes the study, triggers a happy emotional response in people, increasing the feeling of satisfaction and positively influences our behavior.
The 10-month study observed the link between flowers and life satisfaction in participants. Participants that received flowers expressed “true†smiles which scientist concluded demonstrated real delight and thankfulness. Participants also reported feeling less depressed and anxious after receiving flowers and a higher sense of pleasure and life satisfaction. This may be one of the key reasons that flowers sent during times of loss or grief are so helpful. They trigger the body to return to delight and happiness when sadness sets in. Receiving flowers also led to increased contact with family and friends, reported the study. Again, sending flowers can make an emotional connection with family and friends no matter how far apart physically they may be.
“Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy,” said Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers. “Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being.”