We all know that having plants around us is good for our general health and wellness. However, it would appear that certain plants may actually help with Sleep Apnea and insomnia. The premise for this theory is that oxygen released by plants at night aids breathing and makes for a more restful sleep environment.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder where people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, irritability and a depressed mood.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. It is a chronic condition that disrupts your sleep. As a result, the quality of your sleep is poor, which makes you tired and irritable during the day.
Not all plants are up for this job though. Most plants do not release oxygen at night when there is no sunlight for the photosynthesis process. Apart from a few select plants, most plants release carbon dioxide (not oxygen) at night. Here are some night-oxygen-producing plants to consider adding to your bedroom if you’re suffering from sleep apnea and want some relief.
- Snake Plant
The Snake Plant is a hardy indoor plant that is easy to look after. It emits oxygen at night time whilst simultaneously taking in carbon dioxide – something we naturally produce when breathing. All this leads to a purer quality of air and a better night’s sleep. The Snake Plant is also said to filter some nasty but common household toxins (namely formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and benzene) from the air.
Snake plants do best with regular watering and high levels of sunlight but are tolerant to less frequent watering and low amounts of sunlight, making them very easy to care for.
2. Aloe Vera
The Aloe Vera is famed for its healing properties such as its ability to soothe sunburns. However, this wonder plant also produces oxygen at night which will help alleviate insomnia and provide the needed peace to fall asleep.
Just like the Snake Plant – the Aloe Vera plant emits oxygen at night, making for a more restful slumber. It can also help improve air quality by clearing certain compounds from the air. Juice from the aloe vera plant can even help improve dental health by reducing plaque and helping heal canker sores.
As succulents, aloe vera plants are easy to care for, requiring infrequent watering (every few weeks at most) and plenty of direct sunlight.
Dubbed the “plant of immortality” by the Egyptians, it reproduces easily. A member of the succulents family, the Aloe Vera needs plenty of direct sunlight and infrequent watering (once every few weeks). In other words, it is one of the easiest plants to grow and maintain – it tolerates ‘neglect’ well.
While there is no concrete scientific evidence that both of these plants help with insomnia or sleep apnea, having them in your bedroom can’t hurt. So, why not?
