By Victoria Q

Nowadays, many people are having insomnia or some other problems that interrupt their sleep. Sleep is essential for us to stay happy and healthy. Not getting enough sleep at night leaving us sluggish, lethargic and will affect daily activities. Hence, they tend to rely on medication to put them to sleep, which is a bad idea. Sleeping pills come with tons of side effects and if you get addicted to it, will cause even severe effect on the brain.

You may not know but plants can actually help with sleeping difficulty. Indoor plants can do more than just make your house look brighter and greener especially in your bedroom. They have many health benefits such as reduce stress levels, boost your mood, increase the quality of indoor air, filter air pollutants and toxins, and most importantly, they promote better sleep. It may not happen overnight but if you give it some time, I’m sure it will.

Below are 7 best plants to keep in your bedroom to add some greenery and promote better sleep at night.

• Snake Plant

Snake plants, also known as ‘mother-in-law’s tongue’, is a natural air purifier that emits oxygen at night and helps you get a more restful sleep. They also remove harmful toxins from the air such as xylene, trichloroethylene, toluene, benzene and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is often found in hairspray and can cause respiratory problems. This ideal plant is great for décor as well as regulates healthy airflow. They are very easy to care for and required very little water and little to no sunlight.

• Spider Plant

These spindly plants are great at purifying the air just like the snake plants. They absorb harmful chemicals in the air like odours, carcinogen and formaldehyde, which is found in many household products. Spider plants increase oxygen in the air and filtering out toxins, helping you breathe more naturally in the evening while you sleep. Just like snake plants, spider plants are also required very little water and little to no sunlight.

• Lavender

Lavender is well known as a great aid for relaxation. The smells of lavender decreased the stress levels and reduce anxiety, such as panic and phobic disorder. It also helps you relax during the day and quickly puts you to sleep in the evening. Another investigation found that smelling lavender before going to bed promotes deep sleep and feel more energy in the morning. Lavender plants like warmth and sunlight, so place them nearby the windows and water sparingly.

• Golden Pothos

Golden pothos plants are one of the top air-purifying plants from the NASA clean air study. It’s also called the devil’s ivy. These plants are low maintenance making them a great houseplant as they can grow well inside your house. Golden pothos purifying the air of toxins such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde while you’re sleeping. They look best when put into a hanging basket, which is also a great décor for your bedroom and extremely easy to look after, needing only a little sunlight and watering once a week.

• Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen, also known as Aglaonema, is the perfect plant that doesn’t require too much maintenance. This plant help improve the quality of indoor air with the ability to filter and purify toxins in the air. It increases oxygen levels to help improve breathing and will greet you with vivid leaves and freshness every morning. Chinese evergreen plants require little effort as they enjoy moderate watering and indirect sunlight.

• Chamomile

Chamomile is often used in teas and essential oils to help people relax and destress. However, it is also very useful as a bedroom plant to help induce sleep. A study shows that chamomile makes you more likely to have an uninterrupted sleep night. Keep it close to the bed to breathe in the fresh and relaxing aroma all night. This plant only needs little sunlight and watering once a week.

• Heartleaf Philodendron

The heartleaf philodendron gets its name from its heart-shaped leaves. It is great at absorbing formaldehyde from indoor air. Dry indoor air can cause respiratory problems, sore throats, colds, and even skin problems. This plant helps to increase humidity levels by emitting water vapour during transpiration. Just set the plant up by a window that gets bright and indirect sunlight, and water it once or twice a week.