A new study evaluated the stress levels of electric company workers in Japan before and after interacting with office plants. This study consisted of a control period without plants and a two week period with plants. Workers were instructed to measure their pulse rates in the morning, night, and whenever they felt stressed. The results of this study suggest that staring at a plant can decrease stress and the resting heart rate of workers. Following these findings, experts recommend that it may be beneficial for individuals who are stressed at work to keep plants or spend time in nature.
See "Desk plants may alleviate stress in the workplace ", WQAD, February 11, 2020