Jessica Warren, Extension coordinator, spoke with Simplemost about the benefits of houseplants to get a good night’s sleep.
Houseplants have a respiratory function that helps people sleep better, and they can lead to a substantial decline in air pollutants in a room.
“How big a plant is, how healthy it is, how much sunlight it’s getting, what kind of nutrients it’s getting through its soil—all those things are going to affect how efficient a plant is at respirating and doing photosynthesis,” Warren said.
The better a plant is tended to, the better it will purify the air. People may want their bedroom to be dark at night, but Warren warns that it’s important to ensure that plants get enough sunlight during the day.
Bigger, leafier plants with waxy, fuzzy or rubbery leaves are the most effective. Warren recommends a snake plant for bedrooms as it can perform photosynthesis even in low-light situations.
