12 Air-Purifying Plants For Your Bed To Better Sleep

Living in an energy-efficient, the modern building can have unintended side effects. One of these side effects is less airflow. Lack of airflow allows for indoor air pollution to build up and cause health issues like asthma or sick building syndrome.

In fact, modern furnishings, synthetic building materials, and even your own carpet may carry more chemicals than expected. These chemicals can make up to 90 percent of indoor air pollution.

Some scientists have suggested that choosing the right air purifying plants for your home can help detoxify the air in your living spaces, meaning your houseplants not only look lovely but work a little harder to clean the air you breathe in.

NASA's Clean Air Study found that there are a number of air-purifying plants that can detoxify your home from the airborne toxins, dust, and germs that can be found in a variety of household products, materials, and furniture.

Difficulty sleeping leads to lower productivity, lack of energy, and poor health. Stress and anxiety cause most sleep-related issues. Many studies show that being surrounded by nature helps lower cortisol levels and blood pressure. It also boosts immune function and triggers relaxation. In addition, plants purify the air by absorbing odours and molds that can impact breathing and lung health.

Useful Tips

If you have pets or children, make sure the plants you have at home are non-toxic. Toxic plants should be given away or kept in unreachable places.

Wipe off the dust from the leaves of your plants every week. This will ensure that they can properly filter air.

NASA recommends between 15-18 air purifying plants for an 1800 square feet home. Make sure to place a few in each bedroom.

Read bellow to find out which plants work best for you!

Plants that are easy to care for

For people who want to try out their green thumb first, these plants may be for you. While they don’t require daily care, most of them will thrive better if they get fertilized once a month.

Devil’s Ivy or pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Otherwise known as pothos or golden pothos, devil's ivy is an easy to grow indoor houseplant that will fight off common household toxins. It adds instant color to any room with cascading tendrils and grows well in water, pots, and hanging baskets. The heartleaf philodendron has also been said to be harder to kill than to keep alive!  Check this Devil's Ivy or Pothos Plant Detail.

Jasmine

Jasmine is a bushy and trailing plant with delicate white or pink flowers. Jasmine is known to lower anxiety, which helps lull you to deeper, more restful sleep.

Keeping a jasmine plant in your bedroom at night will contribute to increased alertness and productivity during the day. Plus, it has a delicate and refreshing scent! Check this "Growing Jasmine Indoors" 

Snake Plant

Snake plants are one of the easiest plants to take care of. It can be watered as little as every 2-3 weeks.

Like most plants, it thrives off carbon dioxide at night and turns it into oxygen. Studies show that increased oxygen levels lead to better sleep.

Snake plants also clean airborne toxins like formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and benzene.

Bamboo palms (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

This sturdy plant is known for its easy elegance and height. It likes bright, but not direct sunlight, and does have preferences about its care. Bamboo palms also transpire a healthy dose of moisture into the air, making it a welcome addition in dry winter months.

Plant care: Keep the soil moist. Place bamboo palms where air circulates freely, and mist occasionally to prevent spider mites.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a great plant for people who don’t have a green thumb. It tolerates neglect and missed waterings. The plant reproduces easily, meaning that one plant will spawn enough babies to fill your home.

Slicing aloe vera lengthwise releases gel that can be used to relieve minor cuts and burns, insect bites, dry skin, and sunburns.

CHINESE EVERGREEN

This tropical plant is proven to be an effective cleanser of formaldehyde and benzene, found in detergents and cosmetics.

Plant Care advice: The Chinese evergreen enjoys low-lit and humid conditions, so will thrive in your bathroom. If you choose to keep the plant somewhere else, remember to mist the leaves occasionally to prevent browning.

Pineapple Plant

A recent study by NASA revealed that pineapple plants can actually put an end to snoring. Whilst they don’t remove any toxins from the air NASA claims that “pineapple plants produce oxygen and boost air quality at night which could improve sleep quality and cut out those snores.” These plants are very hardy and survive with very little water but be careful they are no match for frost they hate the cold.

BROAD LADY PALM

This is one of the few plants that can help reduce levels of ammonia that can be found in a range of cleaning products. They are expensive to buy fully-grown so you might want to shop around for a smaller one or start from seed.

Plant Care advice: Humidity-loving, this plant will be very happy in your bathroom.

Dracaenas

Dracaenas are a newbie green thumb’s dream. This large group of houseplants comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Choose from the tall corn plant, which has interesting markings, or the rainbow plant, which comes in bright purple.

Plant care: Keep the soil damp but not soggy, as too much water is a kiss of death for this plant.

WEEPING FIG

Popular houseplants since the Victorian times, weeping figs can help to tackle levels of formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene.

Plant Care advice: They are fairly fussy plants that don't like change. Keep your weeping fig in bright, indirect light away from drafts, and it will be a trusty purifier for many years to come.

Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Also known as devil’s ivy, this plant may be as close as plants can get to indestructible. It flourishes in a variety of conditions and can grow up to 8 feet long. It’s also considered one of the most effective indoor air purifiers for removing common toxins.

Plant care: Water when the soil is dry. You can trim the tendrils when the plant gets too big.

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata v. Bostoniesis)

This easy-to-grow fern is known for its sword-shaped fronds which makes it perfect for a hanging basket or pedestal. The Boston Fern thrives in humid environments and requires consistent moisture. Keep them happy with regular misting, moist soil and position them in indirect sunlight near windows, balconies, and patios. In winter cut the fronds back by around 2-inches to help regenerate and grow in the warmer months. 

If you live in the city, consider placing it near your bedroom window to detoxify any air that may be coming in.