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The Best Plants to Help you Sleep Better Than Ever

Do you find it difficult to fall asleep at night? We’ve prepared a list of plants that can help induce sleep.

You look forward to going to bed at night, especially after a busy day. You’re exhausted and need a good rest but your mind just can’t go to sleep. You toss and turn in your bed. You think about past events and the meaning of life long after dawn has set. No one enjoys restless nights that only cause further fatigue and bad mood.

Don’t let this make you a “grumpy cat” in the morning.

Sure you can count sheep or follow do these methods backed by science. However, there’s a very, very simple thing you can add to your daily habits to improve the quality of your sleep — bring in plants to your home.

In the last few years, it’s gotten trendy to decorate with house plants (and even create indoor jungles in small city residences) because of the growing awareness of the benefits of indoor plants to your mind and body.

But plants are not only a perfect addition to decor and atmosphere they also improve and induce sleep.

Sleep and the Cause of Insomnia

Sleep is extremely important for both mental and physical health. It is when our physical and physiological functions recharge and regain strength. It’s essential to get a proper amount of sleep each and every night if you want a healthy and productive life.

However, there are different reasons that keep you from getting the rest you need. The following factors are highly important when it comes to sleep and plants help you cope with them:

Fresh air. If the air in your home is full of microorganisms, irritants, and dust, it might cause inflammation, excessive mucus in the respiratory tract, difficulty breathing, cough, headache, other physical pain, and tiredness. Stagnant air is harmful, even dangerous, and bothers your sleep.
Stress. Intense emotions affect sleep by causing a shift in hormone levels. Too much stress can disrupt the functions of the pineal gland that releases melatonin - the sleep hormone.
Anxiety. Sometimes, quiet and dark nights might provoke worries, concerns, panic, confusion and make it difficult to fall asleep.

Plants that Promote Good Sleep

There is no doubt that some flora species induce slumber and reduce factors that keep us from getting a good night’s rest.

For starters, the most significant job plants do is to purify air. Thanks to photosynthesis plants, release oxygen and diminish levels of CO2.

Greenery also regulates humidity, decreases dust and pollutants. In addition, according to studies, plants absorb a wide range of toxins that damage to our health.

Here are some plants to help you sleep better:

Aloe Vera

You’ve surely come across the Aloe Vera plant at least once in your life. Thanks to its healing magical powers, people use it for treating sunburns, cuts, and rashes. Even Cleopatra used it as a skin-care product. Aloe Vera also has sleep-inducing properties. It can help you rest at night because it filters the air while you slumber.

Peace Lily

This is one of the plants most beneficial to sleep. It removes toxins and excessive moisture from the air. They’re the perfect house plants because they need minimal light and water. Because they’re so low maintenance, they’re perfect for house owners who have very busy daily schedules.

If you have a leaf-munching pet or a baby though, you’ll have to give this a hard pass because the leaves are poisonous.

Snake Plant

This is an excellent choice if you look for greenery to improve the air quality in your home. Snake plants absorb airborne chemicals and do not require much to live. Minimal light and water will keep your snake plant alive. They’re even less fussy than peace lilies, if you can believe it. Because of their air-cleaning qualities, homeowners often place snake plants in their bedrooms.

To top it all off, if you go to your local nursery, you’ll find that you can buy a snake plant for very cheap.

Elecampane

Elecampane has a positive impact on the respiratory tract and helps with breathing. Moreover, this plant can save you from bacteria, microscopic worms, and parasites in the air. So it’s a great idea to refresh your room with this beautiful yellow plant.

English Ivy

The plant reduces mold in the air and comes in hand when dealing with severe cases of mold allergies. Test results show a nearly 100% drop in airborne toxins after leaving English Ivy in a bedroom for 12 hours. Impressive, don’t you think? Plus, this plant needs very little to thrive.

The list of plants capable to clean the air and improve the sleep environment goes on with other popular species such as Spider Plant, Chinese Evergreen, Areca Palm, and more.

A Natural Calming Scent

Apart from improving air quality, plants release a natural aroma that works magic to induce sleep. This scent calms the nerves and helps bring peace.

The smell of particular flowers and plants has a sedative-like impact on the brain. It directly lowers stress and reduces negative emotions.

According to landscaper and horticulturist Terry Smith, the following species are famous for aroma beneficial to good rest:

Lavender

So many personal care and home products are scented with lavender for this very reason. This gentle and relaxing aroma is long known to provoke and enhance sleep. Take it a step further by having a lavender plant in your home.

Gardenia

The gardenia is a gorgeous flower with elegant white blossoms and a scent rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are direct inductors of sweet dreams.

Chamomile

These cute little florals, thanks to flavonoids again, will make you sleep like a baby. It is recommended to drink a cup of hot chamomile tea before bedtime for better results. According to producers and manufacturer Galen N, the natural extract of natural chamomile german and chamomile essential oils is a well-recognized medicine to aid good night’s sleep.

Jasmine

It’s no wonder that jasmine scent is widely used in perfumes and essential oil blends. It’s a delicate and captivating fragrance. Having the flower near your head while in bed may help you sleep better. As a consequence, you’ll feel more rested in the morning.

Rose Hip, Valerian, and Passion Fruit also have sedative effects and can be used for preparing blends.

Find out what herbs can be planted together:

Companion Gardening: What Herbs Can Be Planted Together?

Curiously enough, plants have one more hidden power to help you relax. Apparently, sound absorbing plants are able to reduce background noise which indirectly disrupts sleep. The more the plants, the better. Arrange species of your choice and sizes in the periphery of the bedroom to get rid of unwanted soundwaves.

Getting started with indoor gardening?

Check out our guides:

You’ve gotten this far, great!

Greenery at home will bring serenity and life to your space. In addition to the charm of watching your house plants grow and flourish, they’ll also soothe your anxious mind and help you get a more peaceful slumber.

Author: Dmitri Kara

Started as a jack of all trades back in early 2012, Dmitri Kara is a recognized expert in a wide range of domestic and commercial trades. Dmitri Kara has appeared on reputable outlets such as Today.com, Metro.News, Telegraph.co.uk, ReadersDigest.com, Quote.com, Reviews.com, Plus.net, IkeaHackers.net, and many more. You can get in touch at https://twitter.com/@dmitrikara.