As well as injecting color and fragrance into the home, houseplants come with a number of health benefits, one of which includes helping you sleep! Sleep is hugely important to our wellbeing, however, it doesn’t come as easy to everyone!
This is when investing in plants that help you get a little shut-eye can be a great idea. Here we’ve listed a few plants that can help you sleep, providing you with options if you’re keen on a little extra kip.
1. English Ivy
This common houseplant is an ideal bedroom companion, mainly because it helps to clean indoor air and promote restful sleep. This climbing shrub is able to thrive in a number of environments, including in low lighting and in low temperatures.
Sometimes labeled European Ivy or Hedera helix, this prevalent houseplant is able to filter harmful airborne toxins from the home and office.
According to NASA’s Clean Air Study, English Ivy is the perfect plant to choose if you wish to rid your indoor space of unwanted chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene. Clean air is not only beneficial to your health, but it’s also beneficial to a good night’s sleep!
2. Chinese (or Philippine) evergreens
Many studies state that Chinese or Philippine Evergreens often referred to as aglaonema brevispathum, are good at removing pollutants from indoor spaces.
Other evergreens including achira aquatic – also known as a Guiana chestnut – and Ficus benjamina (or weeping fig) are also proven to effectively rid the air of harmful pollutants, especially when placed by a window.
3. Snake plant
Snake plants (botanical name sansevieria trifasciata) are able to grow inside and outside of the home environment. Japanese researchers have discovered that the snake plant is able to absorb many harmful chemicals, and has the ability to clean indoor air.
This is a great option for the busy individual as the plant is low maintenance and requires little care to survive.
Also known as Sansevieria trifasciata, this species of the flowering plant comes from the family Asparagaceae. It originated from tropical West Africa and often goes by the nickname mother-in-law’s tongue or viper’s bowstring hemp.
4. Peace lily
Peace lilies, or Spathiphyllum varieties, are perfect bedside companions. Asides from adding interest to an indoor space, they’re able to remove toxins from the air.
These plants enjoy semi-shady areas and are able to release moisture into the air. They’re also a great option to gift those recovering from abdominal surgery.
5. Chrysanthemum
This plant is celebrated by NASA scientists for its air-cleaning properties. It’s an ideal plant to place in the bedroom as it’s able to thrive in lower light conditions. Sometimes nicknamed ‘mums’ or ‘chrysanths’, these flowering plants of the genus Chrysanthemum come from the family Asteraceae.
They originate from Asia and northeastern Europe and are an ideal option for those looking to invest in plants and shrubs that claim to improve sleep quality.
6. Valerian
This perennial herb, in both its fresh and dried form, is often used in supplements. Studies suggest the inhalation of valerian (particularly when the plant is used as an odourant) aids people suffering from insomnia. It comes in the shape of a perennial flowering plant that is native to both Europe and Asia.
In the summer months, when the mature plant reaches a height of 1.5 meters, it boasts an abundance of sweetly fragranced pink or white flowers.
7. Lavender
The lavender plant comes in various forms and shapes. It features pretty flowers and an equally pretty fragrance. It boasts a series of calming properties and is a great option for those wishing to invest in a sleep aid. Introduce lavender into your life by arming your bedside table with pure lavender oil, a diffuser, or a pillow spray.
Alternatively, dab a drop or two of essential oil on your temples, wrists, or neck before heading to bed. Other options include sprinkling a few drops of oil on a piece of tissue and sliding it under your pillow, or taking a warm bath before bed with a few drops of lavender oil added to the water.
8. Chamomile
Chamomile is a renowned medicinal herb. In its dried form, flowers contain both terpenoids and flavonoids. These give it its medicinal properties.
The herb is used to treat numerous illnesses and ailments, including insomnia. It’s beneficial in a number of forms and can help calm nerves, lower anxiety levels, and treat nightmares as well as an abundance of other sleep issues.
It’s often used to create herbal tea or in aromatherapy. Many will sip on this tea an hour before retiring for the evening, often sweetening it with honey.
9. California poppy
This wildflower is used in its powdered form to treat both nervousness and anxiety levels. It’s proven to help improve sleep quality and the duration of sleep.
Also known as Eschscholzia californica, this species of the flowering plant comes from the Papaveraceae family, which is native to both the United States and Mexico.
It is a pretty, ornamental plant that flowers in the months of summer, boasting showy cup-shaped blooms in hot-hued shades of orange, red, and yellow. It is also used in food as a decorative garnish.
10. Aloe Vera
This prevalent plant boasts multiple medicinal properties, as well as some sedative and hypnotic properties. It comes in the shape of a succulent plant species, which is of the genus Aloe.
As an evergreen perennial, it is native to the Arabian Peninsula, but is able to thrive in tropical climates around the world and is cultivated for agricultural, as well as medicinal use. Aloe Vera can be used to treat sunburn, to help heal wounds, to relieve heartburn, and is also considered to be a natural laxative!
Aloe Vera produces oxygen overnight and requires a sunny spot during the day to stay healthy. As a succulent, it also needs very little water, making it a great option for those that lack the time to properly care for a different species.
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