What plant-filled spaces might offer people in confined settings
A systematic review reports benefits for stress and mood, but its abstract does not show how large or reliable those benefits are.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review describes lower stress, better mood and other possible benefits in settings that incorporate plants and natural elements. Its scope includes edible vegetation, lighting and broader design features. This abstract-based account cannot establish how much plants alone contribute, how consistent the effects are, or which approach works best.
The abstract gives no pooled effect sizes, study-level comparisons or risk-of-bias results. Its broad conclusions span very different environments, making the strength and transferability of individual claims difficult to assess.
What the review examined
Researchers brought together studies of nature-related design in restricted living and care spaces. Edible plants had a dual role in the review: potential support for psychological well-being and practical uses such as food production in controlled habitats.
Why the setting matters
Implementation depended on the setting. The abstract describes infection-control concerns and limited space in healthcare environments, alongside power requirements, microbial safety and crew workload in space habitats. These constraints matter when interpreting claims about scalability.
The original publication
Health effects of plants, light, and natural elements of biophilic interventions in confined settings: a systematic review.
Zandi A, Wung SF
Front Physiol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41438217
- Record checked
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