Houseplants for a Better Night's Sleep

Houseplants have been one of our favourite trends over the past few years, fashionable foliage has been taking over every room of the house as a pattern, print and in plant form! Whether you’re choosing a stylish Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera Deliciosa) or an easy to case for cacti – plants have many benefits besides looking good. We’ve discussed the power of lavender in a previous blog, and here we’re looking at the best plants to choose that purify your air and have a relaxing effect – helping you have a great night’s sleep! 

NASA did a study in the late eighties which assessed low-light-requiring houseplants as a means to control air pollution indoors, they concluded that houseplants were “one of the most promising means” of keeping air clean and that “maximising air exposure to the plant root-soil area” was particularly helpful. Since then many more studies have been undertaken showing the benefits of plants on reducing stress and improving quality of sleep. 

Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron cordatum)

There are many plants to choose from in the Philodendron family, all with beautifully showy leaves and excellent air purification properties.  The heartleaf philodendron is easy to care for, inexpensive and a popular choice for bedrooms due to its romantic name and leaf shape! Let it trail down from a hanging basket or a high shelf, or prune it for a bushy, full plant. 

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

This popular houseplant is another top pick from NASA’s studies. As well as having great air purification properties, the peace lily is a natural dehumidifier, removing excess moisture from the air – which in turn improves quality of sleep. 

Snake Plant / Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)

The brilliantly named varieties of Sansevieria plants is half the fun of choosing them, other varieties include the snake’s tongue, devil’s tongue, bow string hemp and zebra fountain! As some of the names suggest, the leaves are sharp! The tall, pointed leaves are elegant and distinctive, and while it’s a highly decorative plant it needs very little care and is very robust. 

Sansevieria plants emit oxygen at night while taking in carbon dioxide, making them one of the very best plants for bedrooms – cleaning and improving the quality of air as you sleep. 

Gardenia jasminoides

The beautiful shrubs need a far bit more attention to keep them healthy and thriving, but the benefits of these sweet-smelling flowers make them worth the effort. The glossy evergreen leaves are known for being great at purifying the air while the fragrant blossoms have been seen in studies to be as effective at relieving anxiety and promoting better quality of sleep as Valium! 

English Ivy

One of NASA’s top plants for air purification, with incredible credentials from multiple studies. The easy to care for plant has been shown to improve symptoms of allergies and asthma as it removes airborne allergens incredibly effectively.  

Does your bedroom need more than a few houseplants to turn it into the oasis of calm and tranquillity you deserve? Get in touch for a free quote and see how we can help you design your dream bedroom. Book a free design visit online or one of our showrooms in Norwich and Cambridge. 

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