Bringing the outside indoors is very on-trend right now. We spend so much of our time indoors that it makes sense to feature splashes of nature in our homes. But as well as looking great, natural greenery in the home can have huge health benefits, with some even helping you sleep. And if that’s not good enough – research, by NASA no less, found that certain houseplants provide space stations with purer and cleaner air! And with all that pre-sleep deep breathing we do, we want the cleanest air!
Now, we know some people are uncertain about keeping plants in the bedroom through fear of filling the air with carbon dioxide when the day-time process of photosynthesis stops (don’t panic – that’s the end of the school biology references). However, some plants do the opposite and emit oxygen while you sleep, making them perfect plants for the bedroom.
House plants also reduce stress levels and boost your mood. Stress and anxiety wreak havoc with your sleep, so these plants are a wonderful addition to your sleep sanctuary.
Here are The London Sleep Company’s top three, easily available, easy to care for, NASA-researched houseplants:
SANSEVIERIA TRIFASCIATA
(SNAKE PLANT)
Snake plants are amazing at filtering harmful toxins from the air we breathe, including formaldehyde which can be found in hairspray – making the Snake Plant an excellent bedroom plant. They also remove carbon dioxide, and release oxygen all night as you sleep, therefore improving the air around you, helping you sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed and energised. Snake plants can also help those with allergies and breathing issues, such as asthma.
Caring for Snake Plants
As an extra bonus, Snake Plants are considered almost impossible to kill. They don’t require a lot of light (perfect for the bedroom and those dim, pre-sleep lights) and you don’t need to fertilize them. Just gently brush the plant to remove any settled dust, water it from the base perhaps once a week, and spray with a light water mist every now and then.
SPATHIPHYLLUM (PEACE LILY)
Aside from being beautiful plants with delicate white flowers, peace lilies also clean the air around you while you sleep. They can also increase room humidity by up to 5%, which makes it the perfect bedroom companion, as increased humidity is great for breathing while asleep.
As well as allowing germs to thrive, low humidity can dry out your skin and hair and increase your susceptibility to colds and respiratory illnesses. So a Peace Lily in the bedroom could mean a cleaner, healthier, more beautiful sleep.
Caring for Peace Lillies
Luckily, Peace Lillies are very low maintenance - they need little light and watering only once a week - so will thrive in the bedroom.
CHLOROPHYTUM COMOSUM
(SPIDER PLANT)
Spider plants are great indoor plants because they filter harmful pollutants from the air in your home, including carbon monoxide. A NASA study showed spider plants can eliminate 90% of the chemical formaldehyde from the air you breathe.
Spider plants are also great for allergy sufferers and as allergies are a well known sleep disturber, they make great bedroom plants. So if you’re allergic to dust, a spider plant may be your new sleep saviour; the leaves of the spider plant can absorb mould and other harmful allergens.
Caring for Spider Plants
Good news - Spider Plants are very resilient and thrive with minimal care. They need only occasional watering and just a moderate amount of indirect sunlight. Perfect for the bedroom!
So get yourself down to your local garden centre and stock up on these beautiful bedroom plants.
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NB: This article is for information purposes, and does not constitute medical advice. If you are experiencing difficulty sleeping, or have symptoms which prevent you from sleeping well, you should contact your medical practitioner.