We’ve already talked about the many benefits of indoor plants in the past, including:
- Air quality improvement
- Allergy reduction
- Creativity stimulation
Aside from that, they’re also very effective at helping you de-stress and relax! And those are important for getting a top-notch night of sleep, so you can already see why they would help you. Keep in mind, though, that not all indoor plants will do the trick. So, we took the job of finding out which plants will help you the most for getting a good night’s sleep.
“Sleep is the best meditation.” - Dalai Lama
Before we give you the answer to start sleeping like an angel, let’s just set a reminder here with a couple of useful tips for house owners:
- Even though the plants bring us (humans) many benefits, they can be toxic for pets (sometimes even for children); if you have those in the house, make sure to keep the plants in unreachable places
- A couple of plants in each room will improve not only your sleep, but your general life quality
- In order the plants to be more effective, wipe the dust off their leaves every week
Now, back to plants themselves!
Peace Lily
If you want to get technical, we could say that the peace lily helps to filter benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde out of the air. But basically, that just means this plant can filter out harmful toxins, making the air healthier for you to breathe.
It also helps increase the room’s humidity (about 5%, according to NASA), so it’s even more perfect if you live in a dry area - or if you suffer from dry nose and throat.
Tip: This is one of those plants to keep out the reach of kids and pets. Though lucky for you, they don’t require much light and they only need water once a week.
Being easy to keep, with that beautiful creamy white flower...this is just a great choice!
Lavender
Lavender is one of the most used plants in aromatherapy, also for sleeping purposes. Since it helps lower your blood pressure and heart rate, it’s really powerful when it comes to helping you relax. Not does it create a better environment for sleep - for both babies and adults - but even more than that:
It’s amazing for helping people with high anxiety levels! Meaning: you’ll be in a better mood and improve your life quality a lot. So, you can place a lavender pot by your nightstand and say bye-bye to insomnia!
Tip: You can pick some flowers and leaves from the plant and put them inside your pillowcase for even more effectiveness!
The plant requires plenty of sunlight, but only moderate watering. Easy to care for as well, and with such benefits!
Aloe Vera
Mostly remembered for its wonderful healing qualities (especially for minor cuts and bruises), aloe vera can also be acknowledged as one of the most effective plants in filtering toxins in the air - and letting out oxygen during night time. As if this wasn’t enough, the aloe vera plant is the easiest one to look after, just keep in mind:
- Plant them in cactus soil mix
- Only water them when the soil is completely dry
- Place them where they can receive bright light
- Add drainage holes to the pot
Tip: Keep a pot of this plant in the kitchen to treat occasional burns, and in the living room for sporadic mosquito bites. More than that, pay attention if they start to show brown spots. That means the air in your home is high with harmful chemicals - and that the plant is filtering it all to keep you safe.
No need to worry much about the plant since new parts will grow to replace the browned ones. However, you should probably take a closer look at the chemicals you’re using around your home!
English Ivy
Without a shadow of doubt, English ivy is the best plant to help people who have allergies! According to one study, within a 12-hour period, the plant already had an effect in the air by removing most of the pollution and mold (which you can read all about too).
Tip: The leaves and berries of this plant are poisonous, so yeah, keep them out of reach for kids and pets. Even you need to be careful since some people present skin reactions when touching this plant. Make sure you won’t have any reactions before bringing the english ivy into your home.
You should also know they grow easily with moderate temperature and some sunlight (but just a little bit, not too much).
Snake Plant
Also known as “mother-in-law’s tongue”, the snake plant also releases oxygen during the night (remember the aloe vera?). More than that: it also removes carbon dioxide from the air, along with some of the worst toxins in the air.
Tip: You don’t need to fertilize this plant, and you can place them in the darkest corners of the house and they’ll still grow normally. It requires little maintenance and only needs water once in a while; just remember to dust the leaves to keep them most effective.
Valerian
The first herb on our list today, valerian is very popular for being an ingredient in sedatives for treating anxiety and insomnia. Famous for blossoming in the summer, they need a full six hours of sunlight every day, and you should water them every two days for healthy plants.
Here’s a curiosity: The simple smell will make you fall asleep faster, but you can also drink valerian tea, add valerian leaves to your bathwater, or put some in your pillowcase (just like we mentioned with the lavender).
Spider Plant
Remember that NASA research we mentioned before? Well, it also says spider plants are the best air filtering plants of all - removing up to 90% of the formaldehyde (in easier words: the harmful stuff that stays in the indoor air) and other chemicals you’d end up breathing otherwise.
Did you know? The formaldehyde mentioned here is one cancer-causing substance! Sounds like one more reason to make it go away by acquiring some these plants, right?
In addition to all of that, the spider plant absorbs odors and sustains oxygen levels, which is why you get more relax and sleep better in their presence.
The trick here is to provide them bright light everyday, as well as a drained-soil and plenty of water (soaking them once a week should be enough).
Gardenia
Okay, so here’s an information that will both make you amazed and is kind of creepy:
The gardenia flowers have an effect of relaxing your body and brain that can be equal to the effect of valium pills (seriously). Isn’t it weird how instead of getting those meds to cure your insomnia, you can simply add a gardenia to your room? So much healthier!
These plants can be tricky to keep around if you’re a busy person, but they’re sure worth the effort. They need bright light, though not directly placed under sunlight, and also constant fertilization and watering (the soil must always be moist, yet well-drained).
Bamboo Palm
One more great air purifying plant, also known as Reed Palm, the bamboo palm is amazing to have indoors! Filling the room with fresh air, your sleep quality will be at its best. As a bonus, it also adds a lot of character to a room.
Remember: Always keep them moist, not wet, and never in direct sunlight.
Golden Pothos
Unlike the gardenia, which requires lots of care, this golden pothos is perfect for busy schedules! It requires watering and some natural light once a week and it makes a beautiful hanging plant addition to your home.
Despite not being as popular as lavender or aloe vera, it’s conquering its space given the easy care and great air filtering qualities it has. This is your time to take the opportunity and put some in your home as well!
Hope these help you sleep better! Have your air quality tested to better know how to improve your home environment and live a healthier life!
