PLANTS THAT HELP YOU SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT
You know how helpful indoor plants can be for your health. But while you have potted myriad plants in and around your house, you may still be in two minds about keeping a few plants in your bedroom, probably because you are worried that bedroom plants can be harmful at night as they emit carbon dioxide and absorb oxygen.
However, research suggests that the carbon dioxide released by plants is too less to be harmful to humans and the oxygen they absorb is pretty minuscule.
On the contrary, plants help you sleep better, suppress airborne germs, release water vapor, and remove indoor pollutants and chemicals from the air. So here are some plants that help you sleep better every night.
LAVENDER
According to the National Sleep Foundation, lavender helps your body relax by lowering your blood pressure and heart rate
Lavender is also a wonderful agent of space-clearing, warding off negative energies, and stagnation with its high energy aroma. As the flowers dry out, you can create wreaths or bundles to hang on your bedroom door and even your front door.
Caring For Lavender
- Keep your lavender plant near a south-facing window if possible.
- Water the plant lightly whenever the top of the soil inside the pot feels dry. Make sure to not over-water because lavender roots are particularly prone to root rot due to excess water.
- Some varieties of lavender can grow up to 3 feet tall and wide; so make sure to choose a smaller variety for indoor use.
JASMINE
Jasmine plants make for an excellent addition to any bedroom With its delectably sweet fragrance and gorgeous white flowers. They can also lift your mood, calm you down, alleviate stress, and gently lull you to sleep
It is highly recommended for help with depression, stress, fatigue, and anxiety. In fact, studies have shown that inhaling jasmine oil transmits signals to the limbic system – a region of the brain that regulates emotions as well as impacts the nervous system.
Studies have shown that subjects who inhaled the scent of jasmine while sleeping experienced deeper sleep, less movement throughout the night, and overall better quality of sleep.
Caring For Jasmine
- A jasmine plant should ideally be kept in a room with cooler temperatures, near a south-facing window.
- Give it a plant support or trellis to help it grow.
- Allow no more than 3–4 hours of sunlight for your jasmine.
- Fertilize with indoor plant fertilizer in the spring and keep the soil moist (not soggy).
- Prune the plant thoroughly in early spring to control size.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary has been considered a memory booster for centuries in ancient medicine. Practitioners today recommend rosemary essential oil for supporting the nervous system and circulatory health, improving concentration, and relieving stress.
Rosemary can improve your focus, boost your memory, and relieve stress, and can help you get better sleep. It is also a commonly used herb for cooking purposes
Rosemary essential oil also helps regulate your mood and make you feel uplifted. A rosemary plant in the bedroom can help improve air quality and encourage better sleep. What’s not to love
Caring For Rosemary
- Often sold in small 6″ pots, rosemary can be grown as an annual plant indoors.
- It can grow about 3 feet tall and wide; so make sure to prune in order to control size.
- Water the soil when it feels dry and use a slow-release fertilizer in early spring.
- Rosemary plants require about 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
SNAKE PLANT
Don’t let its name scare you. Snake plants are actually an amazing addition to your bedroom. The plant can filter harmful toxins from the air you breathe, remove carbon dioxide from the air, and release oxygen all night long, helping you sleep better and wake up feeling energized.
Snake plants are especially recommended for those with allergies and breathing issues such as asthma, It removes toxins from the air.
Research suggests that these plants are highly effective in removing harmful toxins like benzene and formaldehyde from indoor areas.
This is an extraordinarily resilient plant, considered almost impossible to kill.
Caring For Snake Plants
- Snake plans don’t require a lot of light and are relatively low-maintenance plants.
- Occasionally, dust the plant to clean it and water every once in a while.
- You don’t even need to fertilize it.
SPIDER PLANT
Spider plants are known to purify and detox the air you breathe when you’re indoors. It does this by filtering out airborne pollutants. They can remove 90% of the cancer-causing chemical formaldehyde from the air.
A NASA study showed that just like snake plants, spider plants can eliminate 90% of the potentially carcinogenic chemical formaldehyde from the air. The plant also absorbs unpleasant odors and fumes and is known to promote good sleep.
Caring For Spider Plants
- Spider plants are very resilient and very low-maintenance, needing only occasional watering.
- Try hanging them near a window in a hanging basket.
- The plant grows rapidly and looks beautiful cascading out of its basket.
- It only needs a moderate amount of indirect sunlight and thrives with minimal care.
ENGLISH IVY
The NASA Clean Air Study found that English ivy can reduce the amount of mold spores in your home environment.
So keeping an English ivy plant in the bedroom or elsewhere can help people with mold allergies who experience mild to severe symptoms.
English Ivy helps if you have mold allergy, but keep it out of reach of kids and pets.
It is also a poisonous plant and so make sure to keep the plant out of the reach of kids and pets who may be attracted to the leaves and berries. The sap from the plant can also cause skin reactions in some people.
Caring For English Ivy
- Keep your English Ivy plant in a shady spot where it gets indirect light.
- Also be sure to keep it away from AC vents and drafty areas.
- This plant is known to grow vigorously; so it’s important to control its size by pruning regularly.
- Water the plant when the soil feels dry to touch.
GARDENIA
One of the most exquisite flowering houseplants, gardenia is often used as an ornamental shrub. Studies indicate that crocetin, the active carotenoid compound of gardenia, can significantly improve the quality of sleep.
Gardenia can improve the quality of sleep by mimicking the activities of mood-enhancing drugs.
Research also suggests that the effects of gardenia mimic those of potent psychotropic drugs. This means a better sleep and an enhanced mood.
Caring For Gardenia
- Gardenia plants love sunlight, so place them in front of a window.
- Keep the soil moist but well-drained.
- Add enough manure to keep your gardenia nourished.
VALERIAN
A perennial flowering houseplant, valerian has beautiful, scented flowers. It is said that the Roman philosopher Galen prescribed valerian as a cure for insomnia. Currently, it is used as a primary ingredient in products that have sedative effects.
Recent findings, in fact, back Galen’s theory, as it has been proved that inhaling the scent of valerian can increase the duration of quality sleep
Caring for Valerian
- Grow the plant next to a window or in a well-lit room.
- Make sure the plant gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.
- Water the valerian every 2 days.
Once you’ve had a great night’s sleep, you’ll be more focused, productive and in your peak flow of energy. At the office you can bring a small money tree, some succulents or a jade plant to your desk to further enhance the prosperous plant energy in your life all day long
You can also read on HOW TO CHOOSE A PLANT FOR EVERY ROOM IN YOUR HOME