Houseplants in the bedroom

Slept well!

All about the topic: sustainable sleep 04/21

Houseplants in the bedroom

Houseplants have been used as decoration in our flats and houses for a long time – they create cosiness and are aesthetic. But should they also be placed in our bedrooms?

Plants convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into oxygen through photosynthesis, can reduce the concentration of harmful gases in the room and increase the level of germ-free humidity. Toxic gases can enter the home for example through plastic or detergents. Most plants can only convert CO₂ to oxygen during the day and emit a small amount of CO₂ at night. However, there

are also some plants that do not need daylight for this process. These include, for example, aloe vera or bowstring hemp, which are therefore particularly suitable for the bedroom.

According to NASA’s “Clean Air” study, one houseplant per 9m² is recommended, i.e. about 1 to 2 plants per room. In their experiment, the plants were in a tightly closed room, which is the reason why the results cannot be applied 1:1 to one’s own home.

There are also some plants that are not suitable for the bedroom – fragrant plants can cause headaches. You should also check beforehand whether you have any allergies. Restful sleep is not possible with headaches or allergic reactions.

If you already have a problem with humidity in your flat, do not keep too many plants so that the problem is not aggravated. Generally speaking, it is important to regularly ventilate the bedroom. If there are plants in the bedroom, it is even more important. In this way, mould can be avoided and fresh air can be brought in from outside.

We conclude that plants can beautify the bedroom and improve our sleep through better air. However, there should not be too many plants and it is better to use only those for the sleeping area that also give off oxygen at night. Plants in the bedroom are good but not necessary for several reasons.

Sleep well!

[1] https://www.quarks.de/gesundheit/das-bringt-es-eine-zimmerpflanze-aufzustellen/

[2] Johnson, Anne; Bounds, Keith (1989): INTERIOR LANDSCAPE PLANTS FOR INDOOR AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT

[3] https://utopia.de/ratgeber/pflanzen-im-schlafzimmer-so-hast-du-einen-gesunden-schlaf/