Plants for a Better Night’s Sleep
Shannon King, Charity Director
Looking for a natural way to increase the quality of your sleep? Plants may be the answer you are looking for. Last time I discussed indoor plant choices for healthier air quality. Today I’ll discuss plant choices for your bedroom that will help you to get more peaceful Zzzz.
Stress and anxiety are the cause of 50% of insomnia issues. Sleepless nights are distressful and can crash your energy, productivity, mood, and overall quality of life. It’s a good idea to fill your home and bedroom with a variety of plants that have cleansing and calming effects which promote a healthy sleeping pattern. Here are some plants that will bring you not only a more peaceful night’s rest but a day with increased alertness and productivity.
- Jasmine: This exotic plant blooms with lovely pink or ivory blossoms. Its beautiful aroma has a gentle, soothing effect on the body and mind.
- Lavender: This amazing plant with its beautifully fragrant purple flowers is one of the best known plants for reducing anxiety levels and inducing sleep. One study even showed that its fragrance reduced crying in babies.
- Gardenia: Another plant with lusciously fragrant flowers! Studies indicate that keeping a gardenia plant in your room may be as effective as Valium in relieving anxiety and promoting sleep. If you are considering this plant for your bedroom please know that it requires a bright room but not direct sunlight.
- Valerian: This perennial plant blooms in summer with sweetly scented pink or white flowers. It was popular in the sixteenth century for women to use valerian blossoms for perfume with its root being popular for teas and tinctures since ancient times. Roman philosopher and physician, Galen, prescribed it for insomnia. Its scent alone will help you fall into a peaceful sleep quickly. Why not try some fresh petals in your evening bath? This plant is perfect for your bedroom windowsill as it requires a full six hours of sunlight.
- English Ivy: This beautiful trailing plant is perfect to hang in your room. It is easy to care for and only needs moderate light. Be sure to keep it up as it is toxic to your kids and pets. An experiment by American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology showed that English Ivy removed 94% of airborne feces and 78% of airborne mold in just 12 hours! Its leaves can improve allergy and asthma symptoms as well.
- Peace Lily: This lily is great for a darker room as it loves a shady spot. Not only is this plant fantastic in eliminating toxins like benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethene but its beautiful white flowers give off moisture that can raise the humidity in the room by 5%. This suppresses airborne microbes which can lead to allergies, and also helps relieve those irritating dry noses and throats that keep you awake all night.
