House Plants in Bedroom: Best Options, Safety Tips and Care Guide

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Do Bedroom Plants Actually Help Sleep?

People have been putting plants in their bedrooms for as long as there have been bedrooms. The reasons range from aesthetics to tradition to genuine belief that greenery improves the air. But do house plants in the bedroom actually make a difference to sleep?

The answer is: somewhat, in specific ways, and mostly through indirect mechanisms.

The famous 1989 NASA Clean Air Study suggested that certain houseplants could filter volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor air. Later research has complicated that picture. A 2019 analysis in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology concluded that you would need hundreds of plants in a room to achieve measurable air filtration comparable to simply opening a window. So the air-purification benefit of a single bedroom plant is modest at best.

That said, bedroom plants offer real benefits that the NASA study debate tends to overshadow:

• They can raise relative humidity in dry bedrooms, which helps with dry airways and a more comfortable night's sleep.
• They provide genuine psychological benefit. Multiple studies show that being around greenery reduces cortisol and increases subjective feelings of calm.
• Specific plants, notably lavender and jasmine, produce compounds that have mild sedative effects when inhaled.
• Some release oxygen at night through Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM), a photosynthesis pattern used by plants like snake plants and aloe vera that partially offsets the CO2 production that concerns some people.

The bottom line: a bedroom plant will not replace good sleep hygiene, a supportive mattress, or a cool room. But it can make your bedroom feel more peaceful, and that matters for sleep. Read our piece on bedroom colour and light for sleep for more on how your bedroom environment shapes your rest.

Best House Plants for the Bedroom

Snake Plant (Sansevieria / Dracaena trifasciata)

The snake plant is the most recommended bedroom plant for good reason. It is nearly indestructible, thrives in low light, and is one of the few plants that continues releasing oxygen at night through its CAM metabolism. If you forget to water it for two weeks, it will probably be fine. If you water it too much, it will eventually be less fine. Underwatering is far safer than overwatering with snake plants.

Snake plants also remove formaldehyde and benzene from indoor air. The quantities are modest in a typical bedroom, but they do contribute. They come in a wide range of sizes, from small tabletop versions to statement-making floor plants that can sit beside a dresser or in a corner.

Caution: snake plants are mildly toxic to cats and dogs if ingested. Keep them out of reach of curious pets.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

Pothos is one of the most forgiving plants in existence. It tolerates low light, inconsistent watering, and neglect with cheerful indifference. Its trailing vines work beautifully on a bookshelf, nightstand, or hanging planter beside a window. It is a natural humidity contributor and does filter small amounts of indoor air pollutants.

Like snake plants, pothos is toxic to pets and small children if eaten. The sap can also cause skin irritation in some people. Wash your hands after handling and keep it away from cats, dogs, and toddlers who explore with their mouths.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

The peace lily is one of the few flowering plants that does well in low-light bedrooms. Its white flowers are elegant and it has genuine air-filtering properties, having been among the top performers in the original NASA study. It also helps raise humidity in dry bedrooms, which is particularly useful in Brantford winters when forced-air heating dries out indoor air significantly.

Peace lilies prefer consistently moist soil and will visibly droop when they need water, making them surprisingly easy to read. They recover quickly once watered. They are toxic to cats and dogs and cause mouth and throat irritation in humans if ingested, so placement matters in households with young children or pets.

Lavender (Lavandula)

Lavender is the one bedroom plant with the most direct evidence for improving sleep. Its fragrance compound, linalool, has demonstrated anxiolytic and mild sedative effects in multiple clinical studies. A 2015 study found that inhaling lavender essential oil at bedtime improved sleep quality scores in college students by 14-24%.

Growing lavender indoors is possible but more demanding than the low-maintenance options above. It needs a south-facing window with at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily, which rules out many bedrooms. If your bedroom has a good sunny window, a small potted lavender plant on the sill is a genuinely useful addition. If it does not, a lavender essential oil diffuser achieves the same aromatic effect without the light requirements.

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Spider plants are one of the safest options for households with children and pets. They are non-toxic, extremely tolerant of neglect, and produce cheerful little "spiderettes" (baby plants on trailing runners) that can be potted up and given to neighbours. They are good air plants and moderate humidity contributors.

Spider plants do best in indirect bright light but manage in lower light situations. They are sensitive to fluoride in tap water, which can cause brown leaf tips. Filtered or rainwater gives better results if leaf tip browning is a concern.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a CAM plant that releases oxygen at night, and its practical uses (sunburn, minor burns, skin irritation) make it a genuinely useful household plant to have around. It thrives in bright light, so a bedroom with a good window is ideal. It needs minimal watering (once every two to three weeks in most Canadian conditions).

Aloe is mildly toxic to cats and dogs but is generally considered safe for adults when applied topically. Internal consumption of aloe vera should be approached with care and medical advice.

Safety Considerations for Pets and Children

Before choosing a bedroom plant, it is worth knowing which ones are safe in households with animals and young children. Many popular plants are mildly to moderately toxic if ingested.

If you have indoor cats who like to chew on plants, hanging planters or high shelves are practical solutions for keeping toxic plants out of reach. Spider plants and Boston ferns are genuinely cat-safe alternatives if elevated placement is not possible.

Low-Maintenance Picks for Busy Households

One of the most common reasons bedroom plants fail is that they are chosen for looks rather than for how well they suit the household's ability to care for them. Here are honest low-maintenance picks for different scenarios:

Where to Put Plants in the Bedroom

Placement affects both the plant's health and your enjoyment of it.

Near but Not On the Windowsill (Usually)

Most low-light bedroom plants do well a metre or two back from a window, where they get bright indirect light without direct sun that can scorch leaves. Lavender is the exception and belongs as close to glass as possible. Aloe vera also prefers a sunny windowsill.

Nightstand Height

A small snake plant or succulent on the nightstand creates a visual connection to nature that research suggests is genuinely calming. Keep pots small to avoid overwatering and choose a pot with good drainage. Place a small saucer underneath to protect surfaces.

Floor Level for Larger Plants

A floor-standing snake plant or peace lily in a corner of the bedroom adds presence without taking up furniture space. These can grow quite large over years, becoming genuine focal points of the room.

Hanging Planters

Ceiling hooks with macrame or simple hanging planters work well for pothos and spider plants. This solves the pet-accessibility problem for toxic plants and adds dimension to the room. Ensure the hook is properly anchored into a ceiling joist, not just drywall, especially for heavier pots after watering.

Plants to Avoid in the Bedroom

Most plants are fine in bedrooms. A few are worth avoiding for specific reasons.

Strong-Smelling Plants at Night

Plants with very intense fragrance, like gardenias or some varieties of jasmine, can be overwhelming in a small, enclosed bedroom overnight. They may smell lovely during the day but become headache-inducing in a sealed room at night. If you love jasmine, choose a less fragrant species or keep it in a room where the window can be left open.

Plants That Produce Significant Pollen

If you have allergies, avoid flowering plants that produce airborne pollen in the bedroom. Peace lilies are actually low-pollen plants (their pollen is sticky and not easily airborne), but other flowering species can be problematic. The same pollen sensitivities that affect outdoor allergies can flare indoors.

Large Trees and Very Fast-Growing Plants

Some people add large indoor fig trees (Ficus benjamina) to bedrooms for their visual impact. These can be beautiful but drop leaves aggressively in response to changes in temperature, light, or being moved. A bedroom that gets cleaned less frequently than other rooms can accumulate leaf debris. Choose species that are tidier if a plant-free bedroom floor is important to you.

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If your bedroom environment is something you are working to improve for better sleep, come in and talk with us about mattresses and sleep surfaces too. Getting the bedroom right is a whole-room project, and we are happy to be part of it.

Related Reading

• Houseplants for Bedroom: Shopping Guide for Canadian Buyers
• Bedroom Colour and Light for Better Sleep
• Aromatherapy Oils for Better Sleep
• How to Decorate a Small Bedroom
• Optimal Sleep Temperature for a Better Night's Rest