Healthy sleeping habits can make a big difference to your quality of life, yet research tells us that 94% of Australians don’t get enough quality sleep. To help improve this percentage, the National Sleep Foundation recommends:
- Sticking to a sleep schedule of the same sleep and wake times even on the weekends and during holidays
- Practicing a relaxing bedtime ritual such as a warm bath and book
- Separation from electronics and blue screens before bed
- Daily vigorous exercise
- Keeping your bedroom a temperature between 15 and 20 degrees C
- Sleeping on a comfortable mattress and pillows
- Preventing distraction with blackout curtains, fly screens, or white noise machines
- Avoiding daytime naps
But what about plants? Can plants in the bedroom help you sleep better?
Why have plants in the home?
Plants improve our lives in many ways. They eliminate unhealthy toxins and help you to breathe easier. They help you to concentrate more and help deter illness. They look great too, bringing the outdoors indoors.
Plants are natural healers, and a plant such as aloe vera (also known as ‘lily of the desert’) can clean the air and help alleviate asthma symptoms. Chlorophytum (the ‘spider plant’ is another plant that cleans the air and is one of the most popular and easiest plants to grow in the home. Fragrant plants such as dwarf kaffir lime trees offer a wonderful smell in place of chemical-based air fresheners. Why wouldn’t you use plants?
10 plants to place in your bedroom
Lavender
Who doesn’t love the scent of lavender? One of the most well-known scents in the world, lavender can help to reduce anxiety levels and induce sleep. Research shows that lavender slows down the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and decreases rapid eye movement (REM) during sleep. It can even be used to reduce crying in babies, sending them into a deeper sleep while reducing stress in both mother and child.
Aloe Vera
Listed as one of NASA’s top air-improving plants, Aloe emits oxygen at night, making for a more restful slumber. Known as a ‘succulent’ it needs very little watering as it maintains moisture in its leaves. The gel from these leaves can be used to treat minor cuts and burns, insect bites and dry skin. Keep it in a sunny spot and it will thrive.
Snake Plant
Also known as ‘Mother-in-Law’s Tongue’, snake plant is a natural air purifier. Snake plant rids harmful chemicals common in the home, from xylene and trichloroethylene to benzene and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems, so this is a great plant to have in the bedroom.
Gardenia
With glossy evergreen leaves and beautifully scented blossoms, gardenias are an attractive plant to have in your bedroom. More than that though, gardenias relieve anxiety and promote sleep, much in the same way that valium does. Bear in mind that gardenias take some care to maintain and need to be placed in a bright bedroom, but not in direct sunlight.
Jasmine
Another beautiful plant to keep in your bedroom is jasmine, with its pretty pink or ivory blossoms. Thought to have a soothing effect on the body and mind, jasmine promotes high quality deep sleep and increased alertness and productivity upon waking. Offering various healing effects, jasmine was a type of essential oil widely used by the Ancients Greeks and Egyptians.
Spider plant
Spider plants are similar to snake plants, only better. Known as the ‘champion cleanser of air’, NASA tests reveal that spider plants remove around 90% of the cancer-causing chemical formaldehyde from the air. In addition to cleansing the air, spider plants will remove odours and sustain oxygen levels in the room, promoting better sleep.
Peace Lily
Another superstar plant for purifying air is the very attractive peace lily, which helps to filter out harmful benzene, trichlorethylene, and formaldehyde. The moisture from peace lily’s can also boost a room’s humidity levels by 5%, suppressing airborne microbes that bring on allergies and relieving dry noses and an irritated throat. Water your peace lily once a week and keep in a shady position.
English Ivy
Easy to grow and maintain, English Ivy requires moderate sunlight and looks lovely on a ledge where the leaves can trail down. Just be sure to keep it out of reach of kids and pets, as this plant can be toxic.
A fantastic plant for allergy or asthma sufferers, English Ivy removes 78% of airborne mold. As mold affects your breathing and breathing affects your sleep, it makes sense to keep some in your bedroom.
Golden Pothos
The very popular houseplant, Golden Pothos, removes toxins from the air, specifically carbon monoxide, benzene, and formaldehyde. Capable of growing in low light areas, Golden Pothos requires little watering – a win for those who forget to manage plant care. Like English Ivy though, keep Golden Pothos out of reach as it can be toxic.
Sage
Sage is held sacred by many because of its effective purifying energies. It heals by bringing the body back into balance and ridding the mind of negative thoughts and impurities. Said to help with the overall health of the body, sage is thought to act as a sedative, helping you to fall asleep faster. If you’re growing sage indoors, place your pot near a sunny window.
Getting a better night’s sleep
Strategically placing plants in your home is a great way to rid your home of unhealthy invisible toxins that could be causing you restless nights. Place the right plants in your room and you could find yourself waking brighter, more alert, and more productive. You’ll be in better health too!
Bring more fresh air and light into your bedroom with the right screens. Having the right screens on your doors and windows will greatly improve the airflow in your home and limit pollutants entering your home. If you want to breathe easier indoors and sleep better, talk to the experts at Artilux about your screening needs.
