PROPERTY NEWS - According to Deloitte Global's annual Millennial Survey, almost 48% of Gen Zs and 44% of millennials said they regularly feel anxious or stressed as they struggle to find balance in life.
Fortunately, the importance of managing stress through mindfulness and a focus on emotional well-being is well recognised - in fact, 94% of Zennials agree that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health.
This is where the importance of nature and routines such as yoga, which connects the body, mind and soul, come in.
As International Yoga Day was celebrated on 21 June, Candide, the free gardening app, calls on all yogis to be surrounded by green. Nature has long been known to have a positive impact on our mental functioning, social relationships and physical well-being, which is why yoga in your garden or green sanctuary is so beneficial.
What better way to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of yoga, than a session among healing plants and greenery?
Green is a vibrant symbol of the environment and healthy living. Psychologists' research into "restorative environments" shows that we get mental and physical restoration from nature - even a glimpse of nature from a window helps.
By doing yoga in a green space, you combine the health benefits of a centuries-old practice and nature, two potent forces for improving mindfulness and relieving stress.
Research by the American Psychological Association shows that by simply moving outside and engaging in some nature therapy, you will quickly feel refreshed, while being in nature also improves concentration and mindfulness (being in the moment).
Even if you're not into sun salutations and downward dog, you can still feed your well-being by bringing plants into your garden and home.
A big interior design trend is biophilic, which is about bringing the outside indoors. Introducing plants into your living spaces not only naturally brightens moods and enhances the overall appearance of the room, but research has also found that exposure to indoor plants brings about numerous health benefits, both psychological and physiological.
Even if you're not into sun salutations and downward dog, you can still feed your well-being by bringing plants into your garden and home.
Some indoor plants are known as calming plants because they boost mood, productivity and creativity, help to reduce stress and fatigue, absorb toxins from indoor air and produce oxygen - and are quite simply therapeutic to care for! Great calming plants to add to your living space include the (very unscary!) spider plant (native to tropical and Southern Africa) and the famously nutrient-rich aloe vera.
If you're adding greenery to your bedroom, choose a plant that is known to help improve sleep. The snake plant, for example, is best for air purification, lavender is good for deeper sleep, while jasmine is ideal for relaxation.
Most plants like moisture, so the bathroom is a perfect tropical oasis for plants that prefer humidity and indirect lighting, such as the beautiful moth orchid or the flowering evergreen peace lily.
If you're not quite sure which plants are best suited to indoor and outdoor living and their various benefits, go to Candide, the free gardening app that connects green lovers across South Africa, from green rookies to evergreen experts, and helps gardeners and plant lovers understand their gardens better.
One of the most popular features is Plant ID, which allows you to upload photos of unknown flora for a quick identification.
The app also offers a number of how-to videos and step-by-step guides for a variety of garden projects, as well as a host of detailed information about plant origins, environmental preferences, propagation, personality, problems, geography and uses, in a clear, practical way.
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