Should You Have Plants in Your Bedroom?
We all know that upgrading your bedroom translates to upgrading your life; better sleep, more relaxation, and of course it doesn’t hurt to look good when that special someone finally comes over. Grabbing a new set of Egyptian Cotton sheets or a duvet cover from cloudten is an obvious first step, but what’s next?
We asked our green-thumbed friends over at The Sill to break down why its important to have plants in your bedroom, and which ones make a solid first choice.
Should you have a houseplant in your bedroom?
Not only do houseplants enhance the overall appearance of a space, but studies have shown they can also — boost your mood, enhance your creativity, reduce your stress levels, increase your productivity, bring you tranquility, maintain indoor humidity levels, produce oxygen, and naturally filter air pollutants… I guess you could say they’re quite the multi-taskers. And they work so quietly, too!
Despite the positive benefits indoor plants provide, there’s definitely a divide in opinion when it comes to plants in the bedroom resulting in two camps: harmful vs. helpful. This is because plants may respire as humans do — emitting carbon dioxide at night as a reverse response to photosynthesis.
However it’s important to factor in 2 things here — first, we humans and our furry friends produce more CO2 than houseplants do, and we willingly share our bedrooms with both; second, despite the scare stories, carbon dioxide is relatively harmless in small amounts. It is CO2’s cousin carbon monoxide that is extremely dangerous and perhaps where the myth that a few houseplants can kill you in your sleep arises. The idea that plants in the bedroom are harmful is a laughable urban legend at best.
Actually, houseplants improve indoor air quality! Dry indoor air can be blamed for a host of ailments — including respiratory problems, sore throats, colds, and even skin breakouts. Indoor plants help to maintain, and in some cases increase, humidity levels by emitting water vapor during transpiration. And in addition to emitting oxygen and humidity — plants produce negative ions, similar to many fancy air-purifying machines. The negative ions attach themselves to, and effectively remove, any particles in the air such as dust, mold spores, bacteria, and allergens. The presence of negative ions has been shown to increase psychological health, productivity, and overall well-being.
Some common houseplants even take it a step further in air quality control — naturally filtering indoor air pollutants like formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and benzene.
Having houseplants in your bedroom is a no-brainer.
What are some recommendations for bedroom plants?
SNAKE PLANT
This insanely low-maintenance plant is an optimal choice for the bedroom because not only does it claim a spot of NASA’s list of the top 10 air-purifying plants — but it also is one of few houseplants that convert CO2 into oxygen at night, something most houseplants only do during the day.
Light: Medium indirect light to full sun. Tolerates low light.
Water: About every 2 to 3 weeks, depending on how much light it is receiving (more sunlight = water more frequently). Allow potting mix to dry out completely between waterings.
Shop: https://www.thesill.com/products/snake-plant-laurentii
HEARTLEAF PHILODENDRON
This easy-care trailing plant with vibrant green heart-shaped leaves is particularly effective at absorbing formaldehyde from indoor air. Let it trail from a high shelf or hanging planter for instant jungle vibes.
Light: Medium indirect light to dappled sun. Tolerates low light.
Water: About every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on how much light it is receiving (more sunlight = water more frequently). Allow potting mix to dry out completely between waterings.
Shop: https://www.thesill.com/products/philodendron-green
ALOE PLANT
We all know aloe soothes skin burns and cuts (simply cut open a mature bottom leaf and apply to skin), but did you know it also monitors air quality? In addition to clearing the air of pollutants, an aloe plant’s leaves can display brown spots when the amount of harmful chemicals in the air becomes excessive.
Light: Prefers bright indirect light to full sun.
Water: About every 3 weeks, depending on how much light it is receiving (more sunlight = water more frequently). Allow potting mix to dry out completely between waterings.
Shop: https://www.thesill.com/products/aloe-vera
But one of the most under-appreciated benefits of houseplants is simply the calming, relaxing effect they have on people — making them the perfect addition to a bedroom or sleeping space. A recent study showed that simply touching a plant’s leaves can calm you down. So although there’s no scientific evidence that a houseplant can increase your quantity of sleep, it should come as no surprise that they can improve your quality of sleep, consequently leading to a happier, healthier, you.
Be sure to get your bedroom upgraded for the summer by grabbing your new cool, soft bedding from cloudten and a couple plants from our friends over at The Sill. Happy sleeping!