Repost from https://www.thegoodsheet.com.au/blogs/good-reads/best-indoor-plants-to-help-you-sleep
We all know that getting enough sleep is very important to our health and well being. But few of us actually manage to get the amount we require on a regular basis. If you’ve tried all the usual sleep tips like changing your mattress, sleep apps and curbing your caffeine addiction and you’re still having trouble, maybe it’s time to try adding some greenery to your bedroom. Plants have many health benefits that could help you sleep better. They lower stress levels, cleanse the air and of course it doesn’t hurt that they look good while they do it! So without further ado, here’s our list of the 7 best indoor plants to help you sleep.
JASMINE
With its beautifully scented white flowers, jasmine lifts your mood and makes for the perfect bedroom plant. It is known to alleviate stress and improve the quality of sleep. Studies have shown it can reduce anxiety and lower blood pressure and even have positive effects on your alertness and productivity. And the intoxicating aroma promotes relaxation and has a gentle calming effect – perfect for when you’re trying to get to sleep.
Grow jasmine in a well-lit or sunny spot and in moist, well-drained soil.
LAVENDER
Lavender is very well known to be soothing and relaxing and is great choice of indoor house plant. Studies discovered that the smell of lavender reduces stress and decreases heart rate and blood pressure supporting its long standing use in essential oils and all manner of sleep aids. It can even reduce crying in babies, a blessing for any new, sleep-deprived parent.
Lavender needs full sun so place in a sunny indoor spot. Water only when top inch of soil is dry.
SNAKE PLANT
The snake plant, also called “mother in law’s tongue” is an excellent choice for your bedroom as it’s one of the best air purifying plants. This is a claim supported by none other than NASA themselves! Along with its mate, the spider plant, the snake plant is very effective at removing toxins such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and benzene from the air you breathe. Additionally while most plants emit oxygen only during the day, the snake plant continues to do so at night, helping to clean the air in your home around the clock. It is also known to reduce headaches and respiratory problems.
And as though we needed a reason to love it even more, it doesn’t need much light or water, it is hard to kill and thrives on neglect! We’re smitten.
ALOE VERA
Already well known for its medicinal uses in treating sunburn, or would healing, aloe vera is also one of the best indoor plants to keep in the bedroom for the benefits it provides to indoor air quality. It removes toxic chemicals such as benzene from the air and like the snake plant, aloe vera emits oxygen at night, helping you get a deeper sleep. Did you know it was called the ‘plant of immortality’ by the Egyptians? It’s hard to kill and will happily reproduce so you can populate every room in the house with this air cleansing plant. Or you could pot the new growths up and it would make a most thoughtful gift.
Keep your aloe vera in indirect, bright light and water well every couple of weeks.
PEACE LILY
The peace lily is not only easy on the eye, it’s also so effective at filtering benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide from the air, so much so that it tops NASA’s list of air purifying plants. What’s more, they can help kill airborne bacteria and remove mould spores from the air by essentially munching on them! It also raises the humidity in your room by as much as 10% which can help stop that dry mouth or nose from keeping you awake.
Peace lilies don’t need much light and only moderate watering – just remember to keep it away from children and pets.
GARDENIA
This one is probably best saved for the not-so-black thumbs among us as it takes a little bit of looking after. But your care will be well rewarded as beautiful, glossy-leafed gardenias smell divine and science shows they can relieve stress and anxiety as well as or even better than Valium! That bodes very well for peaceful slumber night after night. Just smelling the flowers can have a sedative effect and some people use gardenias in lieu of sleeping pills to improve the quality of sleep and promote healthy sleep patterns.
To care for a gardenia you need high humidity and a filtered sunny spot along with rich, slightly acidic soil. Water frequently.
POTHOS
Pothos and golden pothos in particular is one of the most popular house plants and for good reason. It’s rather attractive so not only makes the perfect accessory in your Instagram photos but it is easy to look after and is very good at removing formaldehyde, benzene other toxins including carbon monoxide from the air. The positive effect it has on indoor air quality makes it one of the best plants for bedrooms.
Pothos can grow with very little light and don’t need a lot of water. Just keep it away from children and pets as it can be poisonous if eaten. Looks great on a high shelf or hanging from the ceiling.
So now you know the best indoor plants to give you clean air and promote peaceful sleep. Go get one or a few and then go on and upgrade to pure cotton sheets too for the best sleep ever!
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