People who have trouble sleeping from time to time will be glad to know that there are many plants out there that can not only detoxify the air in your bedroom, but can actually help to lull you to sleep at night.
Having houseplants can be a nice way to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside, adding a splash of color and helping to act as natural air purifier, by taking in carbon dioxide and giving off fresh oxygen as part of their natural life cycle.
Is It Good to Have Plants In Your Bedroom?
There is an ongoing debate whether it’s a good idea to keep plants in your bedroom. The reason for this argument is that during the photosynthesis process, plant take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and emit oxygen, but because plants require light to photosynthesize, at night the process reverses and plants take in oxygen while emitting carbon dioxide.
However plants in your bedroom use far less oxygen than is usually deemed by many who are against it. And as you will see later on, some plants, like the snake plant, usually emit oxygen at night unlike other plants thus benefiting you even more.
5 Plants to Have in Your Bedroom
Here are our top 10 choices for plants that are perfect to keep in the bedroom, day and night.
Jasmine
Jasmine is a plant with lovely little white flowers and a sharply sweet scent that has been touted for its relaxing qualities since ancient times.
This plant has sedative properties that were shown in a Wheeling Jesuit University study to have a positive impact on sleep quality: “When the effects of the jasmine odor were compared to the effects of the lavender odor and the non-odor control condition, the dispensing of jasmine led to greater sleep efficiency and reduced sleep movement.”1
Jasmine essential oil is also one of the best essential oils for anxiety and depression.
Lavender
Lavender is another scent that has been thought throughout time to have a calming effect. One 2008 study performed by researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine8 found that the smell of lavender helped to soothe fussy babies and lull them into a deeper stage of slumber. As an alternative you can try to use lavender essential oil which is also one of the best essential oils for better sleep.
The power of lavender transcends age—it can be relaxing and pleasant to smell for people of all ages. Lavender-scented lotions and oils abound on the commercial market, but why not go straight to the source to reap nature’s rewards from the lavender plant?
Snake plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata)
Snake plant is one of the 10 best air filtering house plants according to NASA. It is wonderful for cleaning out your bedroom’s air both day and night, and its simple green-and-yellow leaves can fit nicely with any décor.
While some plants take in oxygen during the dark hours, the snake plant emits oxygen during the nighttime, making your bedroom’s air fresh and clean, naturally—no matter what time of day it is.
Valerian
The hypnotic effects of valerian have been proven by science,4 as one 2004 study conducted by a team of neuroscience researchers from Japan showed that simply inhaling the scent of its pink flowers was sufficient to heighten the activity of the brain’s GABA system, the system responsible for relaxing the body and preparing it for sleep.
Valerian root is also one of the best 12 herbs for insomnia. It is used as a sedative and anti-anxiety treatment, and is a common ingredient in products promoted as mild sedatives and sleep aids for nervous tension and insomnia
The valerian plant is not only pretty to look upon, but perfect for helping the insomniac get better-quality sleep.
Gardenia
Just like jasmine plants, gardenias have white blooms and a beautiful scent—and they can also have a noteworthy sedative effect on those who inhale their fragrance.
In study from 2010 conducted by scientists from Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf showed that gardenia was just as effective as valium in helping the body and brain to relax.5
Instead of using sleeping pills, consider keeping a gardenia plant on your bedside table to enhance relaxation in your bedroom using the therapeutic power of scent.
Source: healthyandnaturalworld.com
