Plants and sleep: oxygenate your room and sleep better!

July 01, 2020

Photo credits : Pinterest

Plants for the bedroom, good idea or bad idea? Did you know that there are many varieties of plants adapted to fit into your room? In addition to adding freshness to your decor, they can also be beneficial for your sleep!

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Throughout my childhood, my parents told me repeatedly not to place plants next to my bed because they can be poisonous. At university, my English teacher advised me to put lavender and rosemary above my headboard to take advantage of the soothing properties of these flowers/plants. Intrigued, I did the experiment and began to research in depth to finally put an end to this mysterious myth!

I first asked myself: why putting a plant in the room could be harmful?

As we all learned at school, plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis. This oxygen is especially valuable for us to benefit from this new air to purify our interior. Photosynthesis needs light. But during the night, what happens? I think all the pictures are here. It is true that at sunset, plants no longer produce O2 but consume it and release carbon dioxide, CO2, just like humans do. So they come to absorb the "good air for humans" to use it.

This being said, plants, although they consume O2 during the night period, only consume a very small percentage of it... In comparison, a pet or your companion consumes more!

Plants are therefore a very good way to re-oxygenate our homes, especially during cold Canadian winters when the windows are mostly closed. Some species, such as the Cactus, absorb CO2 during the day and release O2 at night. Finally, there is only one plant that can't stand next to your bed, but those with strong odours can give you headaches and therefore prevent you from sleeping well.

Let's leave room for the right varieties for your bedroom:

1- Aloe Vera

Notably known for its soothing virtues of itching and moisturizing for dry skin, Aloe Vera is a perfect ally in terms of purification. Easy to care for, these plants are safe and truly long-lasting.

Photo credit: Pinterest

2- Mother-in-law's languages

The famous Sansevieria are my favourite plants: already because I find their nickname "mother-in-law's tongue" remarkably funny but also because they require very little maintenance. As they are as environmentally friendly as possible, they are really the right choice for people who don't have a green thumb (but think they do, like me!) and for an easy tropical jungle effect!

Photo credit: Pinterest

3- The spider plant

More hardly called Hair Chlorophytum, it is also an excellent choice for air purification. Very well known for purifying interiors, these crazy plants are capable of filtering toxins present in household products, notably over 90%. No need to have a direct light, spider plants easily make little baby thumbs, which are very easy to replant! They grow independently, without too much maintenance and their drooping shape makes them ideal for hanging.

Photo credit : Pinterest

4- Ivy

It is the perfect vine to bring a beautiful decorative touch to your home and purify the air every night. Inexpensive, not very demanding, ivy is particularly appreciated in a rather large room because it can quickly become invasive! No need to water it every day, because roots hate having their feet in water! It is also a good way to naturally fight pollutants such as pollen and mould!

Photo credit: Pinterest

5- Lavender

Lavender is known for its soothing and anti-stress properties. It is still difficult to grow it in a pot indoors, as they are plants that need a lot of sunshine (not for nothing one thinks directly of the outside field and the noise of the cricket), but it also works well once dried. With its delicate scent, it will diffuse its scent in your room which will have the benefit of relaxing you. It also relieves insect bites. For the evening, a lavender herbal tea is very beneficial to calm the nervous system and soothe the spirits. Seizure? Lavender is also an excellent remedy to relieve coughs, sinuses and headaches, especially in the form of oil!

Photo credit : Pinterest

There are flowers everywhere, for anyone who wants to see them.

In fact, if you are a fan of dried flowers and decoration, I have found several ideas for floral arrangements on Pinterest! With the summer we are having right now, it is the perfect time to pick the flowers and dry them quietly.