7 Plants You Should Keep in the Bedroom to Improve Your Sleep

They’re not just pretty to look at either; houseplants can help to reduce stress and increase productivity, as well as put you in a better mood!

Pretty amazing, huh?

They also help maintain indoor humidity levels, produce extra oxygen (which is always a positive for us humans!) and filter air pollutants in a natural way.

So, it seems that plants are positive all round… right?

Right. These multi-tasking marvels have had a bad reputation in the past, with some people believing that they may emit carbon dioxide at night as a reverse response to photosynthesis.

As a result, some people have kept them out of the bedroom, believing they could be harmful rather than helpful. But, there’s really no need to fear our floral friends – humans and pets produce more CO2 than plants do, and it is relatively harmless in small doses.

If anything, you should be moving your plants into the bedroom. Not just for a fresh new look, but it might actually be good for your health.

Dry indoor air is part of the problem when it comes to sore throats, colds and even breakouts of spots.

Plants emit water vapour during transpiration, so just by being there, they’re helping to maintain a healthy level of humidity. They also emit negative ions, which is bad news for dust, mould spores, bacteria and allergens, and good news for you.

The negative ions help remove any of the nasties in your room, and improve your general wellbeing. It’s the same process used by fancy air purifiers, but with a smaller cost and a better look for your bedroom. If that doesn’t help you sleep better at night, we don’t know what will…

So, which plants work particularly well in the bedroom?

Whilst there’s no evidence to prove that houseplants help you sleep more, they do have a naturally calming effect that’s perfect for your sleep space. And with all of those extra benefits we mentioned, we know we’ll be resting easier at night with some of these tucked up next to us…

1. Snake Plant

This air-purifying plant is not only low-maintenance and cool to look at, it’s also one of the few houseplants that keeps converting CO2 into oxygen at night.

2. Peace Lily

The clue is in the name… this calming plant is easy to grow and helps filter out harmful toxins from the air like benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde. They can also boost a room’s humidity by up to 5%, so this one is ideal if you are kept awake by a dry nose or throat.

3. Golden Pothos

Nicknamed the ‘cubicle plant’ because it’s so tolerant of neglect (although it does like to be watered occasionally!), this is the perfect plant for those not green-fingered by nature but still want the benefits of plants in the bedroom.

4. Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a superstar of the plant world; it’s one of the best for improving air quality and emits oxygen at night so it’s an ideal plant for the bedroom. Another one for the forgetful, it doesn’t require frequent watering but it’s best in the window as it does need direct sunlight. Not only that, but aloe vera has plenty of medicinal uses – it’s a real must-have!

5. Rubber Plant

The rubber plant is an impressive looking piece of greenery, without an accompanying high maintenance lifestyle. A powerful toxin eliminator and air purifier, you can’t go too far wrong with this one.

6. Areca Palm

This palm is great for anyone who’s prone to colds and sinus problems as it releases moisture into the air, as well as being effective at air purification. Plus, it’s easy on the eye, too…

7. Spider Plant

If you’ve not got a lot of surface space, why not try a hanging planter with a spider plant? It’s a fun addition to your bedroom, and is particularly effective at fighting pollutants like xylene and carbon monoxide.

We've summarised all this information in an easy to share infographic below: