So you’ve gotten the news, either through the office grapevine or social media, that one of your friends is in NYU, Bellvue, or another NYC hospital. Etiquette dictates that you should send flowers and a get-well card, but you’re not the type to do something just because Miss Manners says so. Here’s the 5 real reasons you want to send a fresh flower arrangement to your friend in the hospital:

5. Your friend will get better faster when they’re surrounded by flowers.This sounds ridiculous, but it’s absolutely true. Researchers have found, time and again, that patients experience less pain, lower stress levels, and faster recovery times when there are colorful, vibrant fresh flower arrangements in their room.

4. Sending fresh flowers is so much smarter than candy, chocolates, or anything from the Taco Truck You may have bonded with your buddy over spicy Korean barbecue, but showing up with some take out to raise your friend’s spirits is a definite no-no. Many medical procedures & treatments mean that your friend may be on a restricted diet, at least while they’re in the hospital. Why bum them out by tempting them with something they can’t eat?

3. Sending fresh flowers is such an easy way to show you care.Let’s be real. You’ve heard your friend is sick, and you feel bad. You also have 37,000 things to do at work that day, your kid has a playdate after school in the least convenient location possible, and guess who has the honor of hosting the family get-together this weekend? There’s not really time for you to do much for your friend – but picking up the phone to have flowers delivered to the hospital or visiting the website to pick out an arrangement only takes a few minutes. So easy!

2. It’ll really cheer your friend up.The staff at NYU, Bellvue and other NYC hospitals have been making tremendous strides in making the hospital a more pleasant, less institutional place to be, but realistically? Hospitals aren’t exactly cheerful, restful places to be. Fresh flower arrangements add much needed color and design to the environment – and they’re a pleasant distraction from beeping monitors, noisy roommates, and the fact there’s nothing but nothing on TV.

1. You’ll be an awesome friend.Thinking of your friend while they’re feeling badly and taking steps to make them feel better is a sign that you’ve achieved truly awesome friend status. It’s a caring, thoughtful gesture that will make your friend’s stay in the hospital much more pleasant!