5 of the best houseplants for bedrooms – from sleep aids to air purifiers

Adding a houseplant to your bedroom can have more surprising benefits than simply improving the aesthetics of your space. From being an effective sleep aid to purifying the air around you, here are the five best plants to keep in your bedroom.

Surrounding yourself with the best indoor plants for your health and well-being is an easy way of improving the quality of your life and the health of your home. Whether you opt for the easiest houseplants to keep alive or choose the challenge of growing the hardest houseplants to keep alive .

Either way, some plants can provide specific benefits for the individual rooms in your house. Here are the five best houseplants to grow in your bedroom.

5 of the best houseplants for the bedroom

Whilst the best sleep aids usually come in the form of the best sheets and a structured nighttime routine, it turns out you can also look to your leafy friends for a little help.

Much like there are best houseplants for a kitchen , certain varieties are particularly beneficial in a bedroom. So no matter what you're needs are for your sleep space, and no matter the aesthetic, here are some of the very best plants to support you.

1. Snake Plant

Not only are snake plants some of the best species to have around your home they're also some of the easiest houseplants to take care of. That means that even if you can't seem to master your houseplant watering routine , they won't die on you so easily.

Nadezhda Yaneva, gardening expert at Fantastic Gardeners , says, "A snake plant purifies air by removing toxins and releases oxygen at night, enhancing air quality while you sleep. They can easily survive in low to bright indirect light and like to be watered sparingly."

Knowing how to take care of a snake plant isn't going to take too much effort thanks to their limited needs but just make sure you know how to repot a plant so it can truly thrive in your home.

Snake plant in 14cm Terracotta Plastic Grow pot: £12 at B&Q

Fancy adopting a snake plant? This small yet leafy species is ideal for brightening up a room without becoming a burden. Continue to let it grow and you'll have an impressive-looking low-maintenance plant in no time. View Deal

2. Peace lily

Caring for a peace lily is a walk in the park, the only downside is that peace lilies are one of the plants that are poisonous to cats so always make sure to keep them well away from your feline friends.

Patty Willems, plant expert at sustainable plant pot company Elho , says, "Peace lilies are a popular addition to bedrooms thanks to their stunning blooms and glossy green leaves, but they are more than just good looks."

"The peace lily is one of the top houseplants for removing harsh chemicals from the air, literally absorbing airborne toxins through their leaves, before sending them down the plant to the roots, where they are broken down and absorbed back into the soil."

Peace Lily: £33 at Bloom & Wild

Pretty, air purifying and easy to care for – the perfect all-rounder. It’s happiest in a spot with indirect sunlight. This plant measures 25-40cm tall including the height of its 13cm x 13.5cm ceramic pot. View Deal

3. Pothos

Pothos are a stunning plant for your bedroom, with their long trailing leaves they can brighten up a room. Whilst their alternative name devil's ivy seems a little suggestive, these plants are nothing but angelic.

"The pothos, also known as devil’s ivy, is renowned for being practically unkillable, thanks to its ability to thrive in even the darkest of rooms and drought-tolerant roots, so this is a great choice for most people! It also offers a dramatic trailing effect perfect for a statement shelf or bookcase or for a hanging pot. Not only that, but it also helps remove harmful toxins from the air," explains Patty.

If you're looking for a way to update your living room for the brighter seasons then a pothos plant is a great place to start.

Golden Pothos 12cm pot, 10-20cm tall: £21.99 at B&Q

Also known as Devil's Ivy, this is one of the hardiest plants you can choose for your home. It can be trained to grow to cascade down or as a climbing plant depending on preference. View Deal

4. Lavender

If you struggle to sleep and look externally for a little help, then choosing a soothing plant like lavender can be a helpful solution.

Theresa Schnorbach, the Sleep scientist from Emma , explains, "Lavender has a gentle aroma with calming properties. Lavender can help to regulate your breathing, improve your mood and lower adrenaline levels, all of which contribute to better sleep quality."

Caring for a lavender plant is a little more demanding but is completely worth it for the rewards you get from this plants. Whether you choose to harvest its flowers or not, you can enjoy its calming nature in any form.

Pack of 2 Large Lavender Herb Plants: £16.99 | Amazon

Why not have twice the power with this two-pack? Place the plants in a pot or basket of your choice and you'll have a relaxing scent wafting through your home. View Deal

5. Spider plant

Spider plants aren't just helpful for the bedroom, they're also one of the best houseplants that can help with condensation in your bathroom . Plus a spider plant caring routine is ridiculously easy, which is always an added plus.

"The spider plant is the perfect low-maintenance way to brighten your home while adding some air-purifying benefits. Spider plants remove carbon dioxide, as well as a host of other chemicals, from the air around us, in turn creating more oxygen," says Patty.

These plants are also non-toxic to pets so you won't need to worry about placing them in your room.

Curly Spider Plant 20-30cm: £9 at Patch Plants

This curly spider plant, or Chris as the brand has named it, is a great way of injecting a little life into your home. And for an extra £12 you can order a clay pot for your new green addition! View Deal

FAQs

What houseplants are best for aiding sleep?

Along with lavender, there are a few other specific plant species that will help with how to sleep better .

Theresa says, "Chamomile contains an antioxidant called apigenin, which affects the receptors in your brain responsible for promoting sleep and reducing insomnia and English Ivy can reduce airborne mould spores, creating a fresher atmosphere."

While these plants won't exactly help you fall asleep faster, adding them to your room can make a substantial difference to overall air quality and the quality of your sleep in the long term.

What are the benefits of having houseplants in your bedroom?

It's no secret houseplants can have a huge impact on our lives, you can even use houseplants to keep you cool . So it's not surprising that plants can have such an effect on us whilst we sleep and rest in the bedroom.

"Houseplants in the bedroom can benefit your sleep. As well as helping to create a better breathing environment, the act of caring for plants can act as a kind of mindfulness practice that can help to reduce stress and improve mood, in turn helping you to sleep better," says Theresa.

She also brings up a study by the National Library of Medicine, she explains, "It concluded that regularly interacting with indoor plants can help to invoke feelings of comfort. Some plants, like lavender and chamomile, are also known for their calming properties. By lowering stress levels and improving mood, houseplants in your bedroom can therefore encourage the relaxed state needed to drift off to sleep."

So what's stopping you from heading to the great places to shop plants online and get some of that calming energy into your room?

Now your bedroom is covered, why not plant some of the best plants every garden should have outside? Some common fragrant plants will make your outdoor space smell good and they'll look amazing whilst doing so.