Plants for the bedroom: advice & insider tips

Plants for the bedroom have many advantages. But not every plant is ideal. You can find out how to make the right choice in this guide.

Plants for the bedroom improve the air quality, create a balanced atmosphere and can help with sleep disorders. However, the benefits of plants in the bedroom are often forgotten.

In addition, ignorance about the most suitable plants can lead to you choosing the wrong plant and not being aware of the effects.

I will explain to you in this post:

  • What you should look out for in bedroom plants in general.
  • Which plants provide more oxygen and harmony.
  • And which plants you would rather not let move into the bedroom.

Admittedly, I was surprised too. But choosing the right plant will not only give your bedroom a little visual freshness. They also promote your own quality of sleep.

Together with you, I would like to find out which plant is best suited for your purpose. I will also give you a few simple care tips for your bedroom plant so that you can breathe freshly at night.

I hope that this guide will help you to conjure up a place in your bedroom where you can find restful sleep again.

Plants in the bedroom – yes or no?

As a nature lover with a green thumb, I would of course like to loudly say YES! reply.

There are many benefits to being surrounded by plants in your home. This also applies to the bedroom.

Benefits of plants in the bedroom

Many people suffer from insomnia and have already tried almost everything: moving the bed, buying new pillows, getting plenty of exercise, doing sports before going to sleep and drinking calming and sleep teas.

But it doesn’t really work with a healthy and restful sleep. Something is pressing on the mind somewhere. Maybe it’s because of something else entirely?

Plants in the bedroom can then be the solution!

 

  • Indoor plants in the bedroom support air quality.
  • Plants in the bedroom make you happy and balanced.

Scientific studies have shown that sick people and patients recover faster and better when they are surrounded by plants.

Plants also have a positive effect on our psyche. Personally, I feel more comfortable in rooms surrounded by plants than in a cool and sterile environment.

In addition, the color green is considered the color of hope in our cultures. If we use it within our own four walls, it conveys freshness, growth and confidence.

Definitely positive and motivating qualities that should not be missing in any living area.

The question that arises for me is, with what intention you want to set up and use plants in your own bedroom.

Effect of plants in the bedroom

Now we spend about 1/3 of our life sleeping and usually practice this in our own bedroom. The chance is therefore higher than in other rooms of consciously or unconsciously perceiving a plant in the bedroom.

So maybe it is a good thing if you find out for yourself what your plant is actually supposed to do for you.

Should plants in your bedroom:

  • affect the quality of your sleep?
  • serve a deeper purpose of equilibrium and balance?
  • provide fresh oxygen and fragrances for the room?
  • be suitable for allergy sufferers and sensitive people?
  • only serve a decorative purpose?

Even if you would like to combine all of the above purposes and live them out in the bedroom, each plant has its advantages and disadvantages.

Because not all plants are the same. Unfortunately, there is no one universal superplant that combines all of these effects. You must therefore decide on a direction.

After all, your sleeping place shouldn’t become a wild biotope just so that all criteria are met. I have written this guide so that you can choose the right bedroom plant.

Which plant improves my sleep quality?

This is not about medicinal plants that you consume in any form and then trigger a sleep-promoting effect .

Rather, it is about potted and houseplants, which are said to have a particularly positive effect on our sleep.

 

However, due to your living situation, there may be some restrictions in which not every plant is suitable for your bedroom.

I would like to give you a few scenarios of when which plant is particularly worthwhile.

Air-purifying plants provide oxygen for the bedroom

The indoor fauna improves the indoor climate and absorbs gases, odors and harmful air particles. Houseplants in particular benefit from indoor plants.

In return, the plant produces oxygen and increases the humidity in the bedroom.

Beware of plants that use oxygen at night

Imagine a plant as a completely normal living organism. Plants, like us, have a day and night rhythm. During the day the plants go about their biological task and produce oxygen (O 2 ) , among other things .

 

However, at night plants also need to recover and breathe. This can lead to some plants even depriving a room of oxygen at night.

But don’t worry: even if you have such a plant in your bedroom, it is completely harmless with normal air circulation.

Until it becomes really dangerous for humans, you have to declare your bedroom a botanical jungle. Highly questionable and unrealistic, and not just for decorative reasons.

Important: Be careful not to choose those plants for the bedroom that also consume oxygen at night.

Plants that produce oxygen at night

But there are also night owls for whom this rhythm is exactly the opposite. So these plants produce oxygen when we humans sleep at night. And it is precisely this effect that we want to take advantage of.

I recommend the following book as further reading on this topic:

In the 1980s, NASA commissioned the “ Clean Air Study ”. The aim of the study was to use scientific methods to determine how the air quality in airtight spaces such as spaceships can be improved in natural ways.

The guide makes use of this knowledge and applies the results of this study to our own four walls. What has been simulated and worked in airtight rooms in space applies to our living area.

The following air-purifying plants are considered to be particularly helpful oxygen producers at night:

  • Aloe Vera *
  • Bow hemp *
  • Orchidee*
  • Bromelie *
  • No products found.

With these bedroom plants you can breathe freely and carefree at night. Unless, as an allergy sufferer, you are particularly sensitive to flowers and plants. Then observe the following notes.

Plants for the bedroom in case of allergies

Allergy sufferers have a much more difficult time choosing the right bedroom plant. The amount of house plants for allergy sufferers is quite limited. Pollen and house dust are deposited in the potting soil and on the leaves.

If you are allergic to pollen, you should avoid all types of flowering house plants in the bedroom.

  • Tulips, chrysanthemums, Ficus benjamina and primroses are very allergenic.
  • Rather choose plants that have more green leaves than colorful flowers.

Basically, I would like to advise against indoor plants in the children’s room. The organism of our children is considered to be particularly sensitive at a young age.

Not putting up house plants means having one less allergy trigger in the nursery.

These plants are recommended for allergy sufferers:

  • Goldfruchtpalme *
  • Ivy*
  • Dwarf papyrus *
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As an allergy sufferer, you should do without potting soil entirely. As an alternative, you can use a mineral substrate from hydroponics for the indoor plants. These are ideal and suitable for allergy sufferers.

The selection of plants for allergy sufferers is of course not large and comes at the expense of design and appearance. After all, they serve more as functional indoor plants and have little color to offer.

Feng Shui in the bedroom: the most harmonious plants

A few months ago I wrote a detailed guide about Feng Shui in the bedroom . The theory of harmony from ancient China is an overarching concept of life that can affect your holistic well-being.

 

Determining the right plant according to the teachings of Feng Shui is not an easy matter. The right selection is perhaps at the same level of difficulty that allergy sufferers have in finding the right bedroom plant.

  • According to Feng Shui, the plant for the bedroom should have the right shape, color, size and quantity.
  • Concrete and yet vague: which plant is ultimately best suited according to these criteria is not explicitly recommended.

According to Feng Shui, however, it should be a maximum of 2-3 medium-sized plants for the bedroom. They should have round and soft leaves through which the energy can flow particularly well.

These plants for the bedroom are therefore suitable according to traditional Feng Shui:

  • Aloe Vera *
  • Geldbaum *
  • Chinese hemp palm *
  • Peace Lily *

Please note that the teachings of traditional Feng Shui are several thousand years old. The ancient Chinese did not have the knowledge of all the plants that we know today from a globalized world.

 

Her knowledge of the healing power and effects of plants on humans was indeed very profound and well developed for the age. In its scope, however, not very broad and the selection of plants is therefore very limited.

The plants mentioned above all have their geographical origin in the region of ancient China or the Far East and need a lot of light for their growth.

Note: In contrast to traditional Feng Shui, in its modern version many more plants come into question according to the criteria mentioned above.

You can only offer a little light to the plant in your bedroom? You can also find the right bedroom plant for these cases.

Plants for the bedroom with little light

As a rule, we provide our bedroom windows with shutters, shutters, curtains, curtains, etc. This means that even less daylight penetrates the bedroom. It should not be visible from the outside and should serve to protect our privacy.

Not every bedroom is flooded with light as well as here in the picture. If there is little light in your bedroom, consider this when choosing plants.

It is not uncommon for many plants to die, especially in the winter months. Not only are the days shorter in the winter season, it is also a gray and dark part of the year overall.

If your bedroom is on the north side, this effect is further enhanced. There daylight only reaches your bedroom in the evening.

Some plants do not tolerate much light, while others like to bathe in the sun’s rays. Make sure you know what category your houseplant falls into BEFORE you buy it.

If there is no other way due to your spatial situation, then choose a houseplant with a low need for daylight. I recommend the following three plants for the bedroom with little light:

  • Cobbler palm *
  • Sword fern *
  • Dragon tree *

All of these three shade plants are considered to be undemanding, easy to care for and require little water and daylight for their growth. They are therefore ideal for dark or low-light bedrooms.

These plants do NOT belong in the bedroom

Not all plants have a positive effect on our sleep. On the contrary: it is better not to put some plants in the bedroom.

 

Why? This can have very different reasons.

It is generally not advisable to place overflowing plants in the bedroom for decoration. The smell of these flowers can be so strong that it will distract you and prevent you from falling asleep.

Split opinions on lavender

Incidentally, there is controversy when it comes to lavender. Actually, lavender is known as a power plant that can relieve restlessness, sleep problems and depressive moods.

 

There are many products with lavender that have a sleep-inducing effect. Many people with problems falling asleep swear by lavender teas or high-dose capsules, for example.

However, some other guides advise you not to use lavender. Personally, I like the scent very much and I recommended lavender in an earlier guidebook to prevent sleep problems.

It is best to decide for yourself whether this plant suits your own sleeping habits.

I can only explain to myself that the plant may exude too strong fragrances in its full flowering period. Especially if you are one of the more sensitive people, you can react to lavender in the bedroom with a headache and discomfort.

By the way: Lavender is also said to have aphrodisiac effects.

Avoid native wildflowers

The following tip is meant more indirectly. Although native wildflowers bloom in beautiful colors, I personally advise against placing them in the bedroom. The reason is that they can also attract domestic insects.

 

  • Nectar and pollen act like a magnet for flies, beetles, bees and mosquitoes during the flowering period.
  • These are extremely sociable insects that, once invited, are reluctant to fly away again.
  • Even if a little bit of native nature can never do any harm, these animals should rather stay outside.

Lavender is also known as a wildflower. Perhaps another reason not to put lavender in bloom in your room.

You can read in the informative articles from NDR or NaBu which domestic wildflowers attract insects. And consequently prefer to plant them in the garden, but not set them up in the bedroom.

Don’t clutter your bedroom

A few suitable plants for the bedroom with sleep-inducing properties can certainly be combined. Too many different plants turn your sleeping place into a chaotic indoor garden.

  • So make sure you have a balanced amount of plants.
  • The bedroom should be and remain a place of rest.
  • Each plant not only has a different look, but also individual requirements and care needs.

It will be best if you decide on a genus of plants for the bedroom. The more similar the plants in terms of appearance and needs, the more harmonious and balanced your sleeping area will appear.

Proper care for bedroom plants

Now you have decided on a plant for the bedroom and of course you want to cherish and care for it for as long as possible.

 

There are a few things to keep in mind that will extend the life cycle of your houseplant and make the plant more effective.

Consider heating air and air conditioning

Some plants are true divas and are particularly sensitive to temperature and humidity.

These are mostly non-native plants from other regions that are used to mild temperatures all year round without great fluctuations.

Our own temperature requirements also fluctuate. Sometimes it is too hot due to the season and sometimes too cold. It is even more difficult to come to the same denominator in a partnership in the shared bedroom.

 

When it comes to the optimal room temperature , there can be controversy with your partner. Incidentally, the same applies to the ideal humidity in the bedroom .

Whenever we heat or cool a room, we also influence the well-being of the plants.

  • If it is too hot in the winter months due to the heating air, the plant in the bedroom dries out faster.
  • If the air conditioning makes it too cold in the summer months, the plant in the bedroom will slow down.

The long-term consequence is that the plant dies. If possible, place your bedroom plant far away from heating or air conditioning or avoid using it entirely.

Better to cool or warm yourself than the entire room. This is healthier for you and the houseplant and, in the end, even cheaper.

Tip: A warm electric blanket for the winter , an airy, light summer duvet or 4 seasons duvets are better than heating air or air conditioning.

Avoid waterlogging

You are probably familiar with the little tips that potted and house plants provide for proper watering. Florists recommend avoiding waterlogging. But what does that actually mean?

 

The correct watering of a houseplant requires a little tact. Sometimes water seeps out of the pot when the earth can no longer absorb water.

Your plant is in no danger of drowning. But the roots can rot and the plant slowly dies. You will notice this at the latest when it starts to smell bad in your bedroom.

In addition to the stench, the soil in the pot or the plant can also start to mold. This in turn can trigger allergies. And we already had that topic.

  • Do not use pure potting soil for your plant, it is not sufficiently permeable to water.
  • Alternatives are plant substrates or a mixture of soil, gravel and sand.

You can avoid waterlogging with a combination of over and under pots, where the water can always drain. However, you should regularly throw away the excess water.

In the warm summer months, such accumulations of water are a real breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects. So pay attention to the amounts of water in:

  • Flower pots
  • Watering cans
  • Indoor fountain
  • and other water containers

Because nobody likes to hear mosquitoes buzzing at night and wakes up in the morning with reddish itchy bites.

Keep pets away

Although domestic cats are being served more than enough food each day, do a thorough search of your habitat for more treats.

 

They often eat leaves and grass in the wild for their own digestion. What happens in the wild also applies to domestic cats. Perhaps the new houseplant will awaken the cat’s interest to nibble on it.

The same applies to dogs that clumsily knock over your houseplant with a rod and cause a mess in the bedroom.

It is of course a personal decision as to whether your pet is allowed into the bedroom at all. Personally, I advise you not to do so for the sake of plant health.

Conclusion

Plants in the bedroom? A definite YES! And a good choice for many reasons.

 

  • For purely psychological reasons, decorating a plant for the bedroom is worthwhile. They create a pleasant and homely atmosphere.
  • We just feel more comfortable with plants than without. And that also affects our sleep. Consciously or unconsciously.

My personal favorite among all of the plants mentioned is aloe vera:

When choosing, please be sure whether a plant suits you. Do not only decide on the basis of decorative features or to collect bonus points with Feng Shui, or because you like the color so much.

Useful reading tip

As further reading for the best and most beautiful houseplants, I would like to recommend the following book:

This book aims to “conjure up a pleasant atmosphere in  your own four walls” and explains which plant is suitable for which room. A chapter is also dedicated to the bedroom area.

I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.

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