Skip to main content
  • Individuals
    • Individuals
    • Business
    • Adviser
    • Financial Wellbeing
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Claims
    • AIA Vitality Member Login
  • Search
  • AIA Australia
  • Health Insurance
    • Member Benefits
    • Member Login
    • Get a quote
    • Make a claim
  • Life Insurance
    • Life Cover
    • Total and Permanent Disablement
    • Crisis Recovery
    • Income Protection Core
    • Business Expenses
    • Make a claim
    • Medix
  • Retirement & Investment
    • Guaranteed Annuities
    • Investment Growth Bond
    • Unit Prices
  • AIA Vitality
    • Partners and Rewards
    • Already a member? Login
  • Content Hub
    • Move Well
    • Plan Well
    • Eat Well
    • Think Well
  • Help & Support
    • Making a Claim
    • Forms & Documents
    • Policyholder Information
    • Complaints process
    • Contact AIA
    • Customer feedback
    • COVID-19
AIA
  • Individuals
  • Business
  • Adviser
  • Financial Wellbeing
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Claims
  • AIA Vitality Member Login
  • Health Insurance

    Health Insurance

    Cover that protects and rewards.

    • Member Benefits

      Learn more about the range of benefits available to AIA Health Insurance members.

    • Member Login

      Existing members login here to your online account.

    • Get a quote

      Ready to get started?

    • Make a claim

      Get help with making a claim.

  • Life Insurance

    Life Insurance

    We’re here to help protect your family, your lifestyle and your future.

    For Individuals

    For Business

    • Life Cover

      Helps protect your loved ones if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness or pass away.

    • Total and Permanent Disablement

      A lump sum benefit if you can’t work due to injury or illness

    • Crisis Recovery

      Helps ease the financial burden should you suffer a traumatic event.

    • Income Protection Core

      Can provide you with a monthly income if you become disabled due to injury or illness.

    • Business Expenses

      May assist to pay expenses of your business if you cannot work due to injury or illness.

    • Make a claim

      Get help with making a claim.

    • Medix

      Personal Medical Case Management.

  • Retirement & Investment

    Retirement & Investment

    Plan for a more comfortable tomorrow.

    • Guaranteed Annuities

      Can provide you with a regular, guaranteed income stream throughout your retirement.

    • Investment Growth Bond

      Also known as an insurance bond, it offers a tax-effective way to invest for the future and is flexible enough to suit a wide range of needs.

    • Unit Prices

      Find unit prices for a range of superannuation and investment products.

  • AIA Vitality

    AIA Vitality

    AIA Vitality is a personalised, science-backed health and wellbeing program that supports you every day to make healthier lifestyle choices.

    • Partners and Rewards

      Learn more about our partners and rewards.

    • Already a member? Login

      Check your AIA Vitality Status and get access to the tools you need to help improve your health.

  • Content Hub

    Content Hub

    The AIA Vitality Content Hub is your go to for science-backed, health and wellbeing inspiration and advice.

    • Move Well

      Find your further when it comes to exercise and fitness.

    • Plan Well

      Tools and support for your future, because a good tomorrow starts today.

    • Eat Well

      Care for your body with food that makes you feel good.

    • Think Well

      Tools and information to help you cultivate a healthy frame of mind.

  • Help & Support

    Help & Support

    We strive to assist you for all your inquiries with high touch customer service.

    Contact AIA
    • Making a Claim

      Get help with making a claim.

    • Forms & Documents

      A selection of forms and other important product related documents.

    • Policyholder Information

      Useful information for policyholders.

    • Complaints process

      If you have a complaint, we'll do our best to resolve the situation.

    • Contact AIA

      How to get in contact with us.

    • Customer feedback

      Let us know how we're doing.

    • COVID-19

      How we are responding.

  • Search
  • Contact Us
    • Call Us

      Open: 8am to 6pm, AEST Mon - Fri

    • Find an adviser

Plan Well
Back to Top
  • {{title}}

    {{label}}
  • 5 ways to bring nature indoors (and why it makes us feel good)

    Staff Writer - 4 min read

    10 June 2022


    Studies have shown that being close to nature brings us happiness – so why not bring a slice of it indoors?

    women touching plants

    When you tally up all the benefits of spending time in nature – which also include better working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control, as reported by the American Psychological Association – it’s only natural that you’d want to incorporate more of it into your everyday. 

    Gardening can improve mood, plants in the office have been said to boost productivity, and studies show our overall health benefits from exposure to nature. And those benefits aren’t just for people venturing into the outdoors – here’s how you can bring a piece of it into your own home.

    1. Nurture indoor plants

    Indoor plants are a relatively inexpensive way to breathe life into your living space – quite literally. Not only do they instantly brighten up a space, they also double as an air purifier by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.

    Some common household plants are the Fiddle Leaf Fig, Monstera Deliciosa and Devil’s Ivy – these can easily be found at your local nursery or plant store. If you live in an apartment or want something a bit smaller, opt for a succulent. Don’t worry if you skip a watering every now and then – they thrive in dry conditions and don’t require much maintenance.

    Most other house plants enjoy a shower regularly, but take care not to overwater them. A good rule of thumb is to check the soil moisture level with your finger. If it’s damp, wait till it dries up before giving it a drink. 

    2. Grow your own produce

    If you have a green thumb or are keen to cultivate one, make growing your own produce your next project. You don’t need a backyard to get this healthy, sustainable source of food off the ground either – pots on a balcony, hanging baskets or even containers on the windowsill will do.

    Growing and eating seasonal herbs and vegetables is great for your health. Figure out which plants grow best in your area with help from the ABC’s seasonal planting guide.

    3. Usher in more natural light

    Letting more natural light into your living space can brighten up both your mood and your home.

    As reported by Forbes, up to 13-15 minutes of exposure to natural light is enough to release endorphins, or “happy hormones”, which can really turn your mood around. In a workplace survey by Harvard Business Review, 78 per cent of employees said natural light improved their wellbeing, while 70 per cent reported improved work performance. This is especially apt in the flexible WFH models many office workers now find themselves in.

    Getting some sun on your skin throughout the day also helps your body take in vitamin D, which is important for calcium absorption and healthy bone growth.

    4. Search for sustainable furniture

    Biophilic design is the practice of connecting people and nature. Try incorporating it into your home environment with some new furniture additions. Think wooden chairs, wicker baskets or rugs made from natural fibres like jute, rattan or bamboo.

    They can invite a fresh, natural atmosphere into your home. As an added bonus, picking them up from local designers or craft markets is a great way to support your local economy. 

    5. Display some DIY art

    Natural DIY art is simple, free (or relatively cheap) and a great outlet to express your creativity.

    Picking up seashells from the beach is a great place to start. Try displaying them in shelves, bowls holding loose change, or even on keyrings. If you’ve got a knack for crafts, you can even create your own hanging mobile.

    If you prefer a more grounded approach, try putting together a terrarium. Start by filling a small glass bowl, jar or transparent container with a few small decorative plants on a bed of crushed rock, sand, soil and pebbles. Not only does it add elegance and class to your room, it also makes a perfect gift. Greenery is even better when it’s shared.

    RELATED CONTENT

    Article 1: Bringing the outdoors in can improve your health
    Article 2: Tim Jarvis: why caring for the planet is good for your mental health
    Article 3: Why bushwalking is having a moment, and how you can get started


    Staff writer

    Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances

    Disclaimer:
    This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

    Sign Up to Our Newsletter

    Sign up to receive a monthly email with links to all our latest articles on health and wellness information for a healthier, happier and longer life. 

    Health and Wellbeing Inspiration

    This inspirational content is brought to you by AIA Vitality

    AIA Vitality is a science-backed program that helps you learn more about your health, offers ways to improve it and motivates you with rewards along the way.

    Contact AIA

    Choose your preferred way to receive information and support

    Contact AIA

    Choose your preferred way to receive information and support

    Help and support

    Make a claim

    Frequently asked questions

    Customer feedback

    Complaints process

    Whistleblower disclosure

    Forms and documents library

    Target Market Determinations

    Explore AIA

    AIA Vitality

    Health insurance

    Life insurance

    OneLife

    About AIA

    Careers

    Our people

    Our commitments

    Media centre

    Our awards

    FSC commitment

    Help and support

    Make a claim

    Frequently asked questions

    Customer feedback

    Complaints process

    Whistleblower disclosure

    Forms and documents library

    Target Market Determinations

    explore Aia

    AIA Vitality

    Health insurance

    Life insurance

    Retirement & investment

    Content Hub

    about AIA

    Careers

    Our people

    Our commitments

    Media centre

    Our awards

    FSC commitment


    Copyright © 2021. AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries or affiliates. All rights reserved. Priority Protection and Priority Protection for Platform Investors products are issued by AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861, AFSL 230043). AIA Vitality, a personalised, science-backed program that supports members every day to make healthier choices, is available with eligible products issued by AIA Australia. AIA Health with AIA Vitality is issued by AIA Health Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 32 611 323 034, a registered private health insurer governed by the Private Health Insurance Act 2007, Private Health Insurance Rules 2007 and the AIA Health Insurance Pty Ltd Fund Rules. The information on this website is current as at 1 April 2021 and may be subject to change. It is general information only and is not intended in any way to be financial, legal, tax, health, medical, nutritional or other advice. You should consider your own personal circumstances and needs and view the relevant product documents, fact sheets, fund rules and terms and conditions before making a decision to acquire such products. If necessary you should obtain professional advice from a financial, tax, medical or health professional. Unless expressly stated, any views or expressions of opinion (including any video content) do not represent the opinion of AIA.
    Terms of Use | Privacy