NATIONAL MAGAZINES TOUT BENEFITS OF FLOWERS IN THE MORNING

Two national women's magazines have started the New Year by promoting the benefits of seeing flowers first thing in the morning.

The January issue of Shape and the February issue of Woman's Day cite Home Ecology Flower Study conducted at Harvard University, which shows that people feel more compassionate and are less prone to anxiety and depression when there are flowers present in the home.

Shape encourages readers to "splurge on fresh-cut flowers," stating: "Keeping a bouquet of flowers in the home has been shown to make women happier and less anxious, according to a Harvard University study. 'Even when participants saw them only for a moment in the morning, they reported having more energy all day long,' says study author Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D." The magazine goes on to encourage readers to buy plants for the office, as well.

"Take two minutes to smell the roses and say 'so long' to the blahs," writes Woman's Day. "People who made a point of looking at flowers first thing in the morning reported feeling cheerier and even more energetic throughout the day, according to a recent study."