A lot of people ‘feel down’ in the winter.
As it turns out, the winter blues are a real thing.
This can be especially true in Missouri, where the weather can cycle quickly between warm and sunny—and rainy, icy, drizzly, miserable cold and grey.
In fact, there’s even such a thing as seasonal affective disorder (the acronym for it, quite appropriately, is SAD).
This is basically a type of depression that’s related to the changing of the seasons.
People with SAD tend to feel sadder in the winter months. They may feel less energetic and more depressed as the amount of sunlight and warmth decreases.
In other words, if you feel like the winter blues have got you down—you’re probably not alone.
And you’re definitely not crazy.
Wintery conditions can challenge our minds and bodies in a wide variety of ways.
They can play havoc with our natural circadian rhythm, bring on a drop in serotonin levels, and even make it more difficult to balance out our body’s natural levels of melatonin.
But we’ve found a rather creative solution that can really help to turn those frowns ‘upside down’—and it has to do with bright, beautiful flowers.
Now, don’t misunderstand—we’re not trying to say that purchasing beautiful floral arrangements and displaying them around the house is a cure-all for the winter blues.
But there is a lot of evidence to suggest that they can help.
Flowers Can Help To Improve Emotional Health In A Number Of Different Ways
Many of us probably already intuitively know that this is true—but according to scientific research conducted at Rutgers State University in New Jersey, the presence of flowers can trigger many happy and positive emotions.
And in the dreary winter months, this may be a welcomed addition to your life and home—to help lift your spirits and beat those annoying winter blues.
Here are just a few of the ways in which flowers can have a truly positive impact on your mental and emotional health.
1. Flowers Have A Direct Positive Effect On Happiness
If you’ve ever looked at a beautiful arrangement of flowers (or flowers blooming in the wild, in a garden, etc.) and thought to yourself:
“Wow! Look how beautiful they are!”
Well, you’ve experienced what is probably the number one biggest psychological benefit that flowers have to offer.
They actually trigger an immediate response in the brain that results in more joy, happiness, and excitement.
It has also been shown that people who receive flowers as a gift universally tend to smile and experience emotions like ‘gratitude’ and ‘delight.’
It’s little wonder, then, why flowers make such amazing gifts for loved ones!
2. Flowers Can Have Long-Term Positive Effects On Your Mood
According to the study, participants reported feeling less depressed, less agitated, and less anxious after receiving beautiful flowers as a gift.
This speaks to the increase in overall life enjoyment and happiness that flowers can help to create.
Once again, this isn’t necessarily surprising, either.
Flowers are complex and beautiful things.
The colors, the shapes, the wonderful smells—all of these sensory elements work together to make them not only interesting and fascinating, but also powerful for eliciting truly positive emotions.
They universally signal and communicate ‘beauty’ to us as humans.
3. Flowers Help To Make Connections More Intimate
Think about the last time you gave or received flowers as a gift.
Now, think about the powerful ‘connection’ that the gesture elicited.
See, there’s a reason for why flowers have been given as gifts for thousands of years, and are almost universally recognized as a symbol of love, connectedness, and affection.
They elicit powerful feelings of closeness and bonding.
When someone gives you flowers, you can’t help but to be flattered.
Plus, receiving flowers as a gift almost universally causes you to feel a sense of gratitude and joy toward the person giving them.
This is true even during the saddest of occasions.
Consider, for a moment, why we give flowers at funerals.
No, they don’t stop the pain or grief associated with loss. But they do help by bringing a sense of beauty to the darkness that exists in the midst of such a moment.
This is a powerful testament to everything they symbolize and mean to us as the natural and miraculous works of art they are.
In Conclusion
There you have it.
3 ways that flowers can help to chase those winter blues away and contribute to more love, happiness, and positivity in your life.
Of course, the best way to put them to good use is to start giving them as gifts and decorating your home with them. And the best way to do that is to order from Linda’s Flowers!
Need some help picking out the perfect variety? Stop by any time and let us give you a hand. After all, we’re the best in the bloomin’ business!