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January 16, 2017 in Indoor plants

5 plants to put you to sleep & help you beat insomnia

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I'll make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
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I don’t sleep. Much. Ever since having a baby 7 years ago and being forced out of bed 5-6 times a night to nurse…my body revolted against rest. Now that my daughter is older, I just get up that 5-6 times to pee. Makes me wonder. Does anyone out there actually get 8 hours of straight sleep at night? And I want a natural night’s sleep. Agree? No meds. Did you know that incorporating just a few plants in your bedroom can put you out at night by creating a more restful environment? Just think how you feel after a good night’s sleep. Like you can conquer the world. Right? But visa versa? Uh-huh…you’re tossing and turning unable to catch any zzz’s with that racing mind. All you can think about is everything you didn’t get done the previous day. Awful. Then you wake up miserable and cranky unable to face the day! Well we have five plants to try today to help you gain a a more natural night’s sleep. Here’s the rundown!

1.) Lavender

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Ever notice that just about every single lotion, potion and body wash/spray comes in a lavender scent? Aside from its stellar smell, lavender helps to reduce stress and anxiety while slowing the heart rate. Good for all of us! When my girls were babies, I always chose the lavender scent of any bath product to help coax them into a better night’s rest. I also put one or two drops of lavender essential oil on the soles of their feet for that same reason. Anyone with a restless baby is willing to experiment a bit, especially when it’s natural and works well!

Lavender is a genus of 39 known species of flowering plants in the mint family. And those of us who grow it enjoy harvesting the stems, plucking the purple seeds off and drying them to make scented sachets with. Then you place these sachets under your pillow at night to soothe you to sleep with the relaxing smell of fresh lavender.

But kick it up a notch by actually growing a lavender plant in your bedroom. Inhaling its fresh scent can unlock the sedating effects when you breathe in the natural fragrance in your sleep.

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A natural disinfected, antiseptic and bug spray.
While you’re at it, consider that lavender functions as a natural disinfectant, antiseptic and bug repellent. A few drops of lavender essential oil works wonders as a natural disinfectant on surfaces and even on your hands. Crushing the plants and rubbing those oils on your arms and legs can keep the bugs at bay likes those pesky flies and mosquitoes. Ideal while working outside in your garden. And like Aloe Vera, it’s great for sunburn!

You can ingest it too!
Lavender and honey make a great team believe it or not. And feel free to add it to numerous recipes, especially baked goods. Not only does it look pretty but it will certainly rev up your cake or frosting for lovely special effects.

Speaking of pretty, consider adding it to your lemonade or iced tea to refresh and renew you before that midafteroon siesta you’re gonna take in the hammock.

The more adventurous have even tried it in salad dressings, sauces, syrups and homemade jams and jellies.

2.) Aloe Vera

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Aloe Vera is one good-looking succulent plant! Fleshy and spiky, it’s one fun nighttime companion. In fact, Aloe Vera is a succulent plant species that has been commonly used in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century AD. So human beings have been using it to aid rest for a whole lot longer than Ambien.

Studies have shown that aloe plants release a ton of oxygen at night. (Remember that not all plants do, many actually soak up oxygen and release carbon dioxide at night….the reverse of what we want). This pop of high quality oxygen in the air can help fight insomnia and will aid your body to keep dreaming those happy dreams. The longer you are able to sleep without interruption, the better!

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And it’s hard to believe, but Aloe Vera plants have been known to erase the polluting chemicals found in cleaning products. Yup. So if you’re still using Febreze (just say no!) Aloe Vera can help purify your room from any chemically laden and fake room spray you’ve spritzed. Ironic….right? In fact, when harmful chemicals are high in your home, the plant actually starts to develop brown spots.

Beyond all these benefits, it’s my go-to burn healer and moisturizer. I can’t tell you how many times I burn myself on the stove. After I cool my hand by running it under cool (not cold) tap water for 15 minutes I turn to my Aloe Vera plant for aid. By gently plucking open a spike of Aloe Vera, I ooze out the pain relieving gel from the plant and apply directly on the wound for instant and natural pain relief. Great for sunburn too!

3.) Snake plant (Mother-in-law’s tongue)

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You need this plant just for the name alone. Makes me laugh. Every. Single. Time. And just like the aloe plant, the snake plant releases more oxygen at night than during the day. This action neutralizes the carbon dioxide in your bedroom. So it helps you breathe easy at night improving the room’s overall air quality. Just thinking about better air makes me feel more relaxed (not to mention sleepy!)

This native to West Africa snake plant is also awesome for your immune and respiratory systems. Its reputation states that it can alleviate headaches, lower blood pressure, increase energy and treat both headaches and eye irritations. Wow.

Better still, you can buy this plant just about anywhere for a low price. Think Home Depot. Pick up some plastic storage bins while you’re there. Hehe. Isn’t that just the truth?

For this double-edged sword, you’ll want to place it in the corner of your bedroom for one sharp looking power plant!

4.) English ivy

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Ivy is one of the best plants for bettering the quality of the air. The ivy soaks up toxins in the air and emits fresh and revitalizing oxygen. In fact, English Ivy can reduce airborne mold by up to 94% – you’ll breathe easy with this plant in your bedroom or basement.

English Ivy is a species of flowering plant native to Europe and Western Asia. By decreasing the overall mold in a room, those with lung irritations or allergies are sure to reap huge benefits.

I was super surprised to learn this week that NASA declared the English Ivy plant as #1 when it comes to the best in show for air purification. It’s the most efficient plant for absorbing formaldehyde. Wow! But around here we love it because it’s easy to grow, easy to attain and is pretty flexible with temps and light exposure.

You can’t beat ivy in your bedroom because it doesn’t require a lot light and will happily grow in moderate temps.

5.) White jasmine

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The intoxicating smell of jasmine has been proven to improve sleep quality, increase alertness, and improve your mood upon wakening. This plant also increases productivity and reduces anxiety. No wonder, it’s the best smelling plant on the planet. This is probably why so many perfumes boast hints of jasmine as their base.

Not only will the smell of jasmine rev up your room, but its overwhelmingly wonderful scent also has healing power. In fact, jasmine has been used for thousands of years to aid with sleep and reduce one’s anxiety.

Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family that is commonly found outdoors, but can be content to live indoors too. So why not have a pot of these sweeping vines and tiny trumpet-shaped flowers sitting on your night stand because seriously….you can’t beat the scent.

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Practical and easy ways to incorporate plants to aid sleep and help you relax!

1.) Make a calming hot tea out of your plant and sip before bed.
2.) Dry plant remnants and place in pretty sachets under your pillow.
3.) Seek plant out in essential oil form! Place one or two drops under your feet at night.
4.) Rub a lotion that contains high amounts of lavender or Aloe Vera in it for a relaxing night’s sleep.
5.) Make a room spray with essential oils from the above plants and spritz around the room.
6.) Take a hot bath with sprigs of lavender or even add Aloe Vera to your bubbles for a good time. Boost your bath with Epsom salt too.
7.) Homemade potpourri next to your bed stand. Handmade lavender wreath? How about it!
8.) Sew in custom made eye masks (I’m thinking lavender sprigs for this one) and place on eyes before sleep. Or buy a mask with any of the above plants, they’re cheap enough if you know where to look.
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So help me out. What are your tips for getting a good night’s rest?

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about laura sproull

about laura sproull

Hi! I'm Laura and hail from Western New York. I consider myself a lifelong learner who loves gardening with a 360 degree view. Thanks for stopping by!

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