6 Indoor Plants That Actually Help You Sleep

You’re probably used to dealing with houseplants during the day—watering them, whispering to them, Instagramming them (just us?). But believe it or not, houseplants have qualities that can help you during the nighttime, too. Want to combat insomnia naturally? There’s no greener way to enjoy quality sleep than by filling your bedroom with plants. And you don’t have to be staring right at them to know that they’re working their green magic. Fill your room with these six plants and snooze soundly.

1. Jasmine

Adding jasmine flowers to your bedside chamber is an excellent aesthetic choice, to be sure, but studies also show that the fragrance of those flowers helps us fall into a deep, restful sleep. If you can’t get your hands on a jasmine plant, a vase full of blossoms will do the trick.

2. Lavender

Many of us know that the scent of lavender calms our nervous systems (and smells like a catnap in the French countryside!). But did you know that lavender was also once considered an aphrodisiac? It’s an all-around bedroom-enhancer, for sure!

3. Snake Plant

These hardy beauties are easy to care for and hard to kill (hooray!). Plus, they do a remarkable job at filtering common household toxins like trichloroethylene and formaldehyde from the air so you don’t breathe in any nasties while you sleep.

4. Aloe

Often enlisted to soothe sunburns, this little plant ranks high on NASA’s list (yes, that NASA) of air cleansing plants…right up there with snake plants. Aloe emits a great deal of oxygen over the course of a night’s slumber, so you can breathe easy while you travel through dreamland.

5. English Ivy

According to Science Direct, this lovely plant, with its trailing, heart-shaped leaves, has been shown to improve symptoms of allergies and asthma. So if you have a partner with a snoring problem, this could help! English Ivy is toxic to the touch, though, so make sure to keep it on a high shelf or in a macramé plant holder that hangs out of reach. This one’s not the best bet for your bedside table.

6. Spider Plant

Vaguely similar to snake plants in appearance, but, you know, more spider-y…these babies have been proven to remove up to 90% of airborne toxins. It might take a little convincing to get your partner to let something into the bedroom with “spider” in its name, but it’s worth it—you’ll sleep more soundly knowing that this hardy plant is improving your bedroom air quality.