The Best Houseplants for Your Bedroom According to NASA

House plants are so much more than just decorative accents. In your bedroom, they can boost relaxation and purify the air that you’re breathing in while you sleep. Researchers at NASA have found that many popular household plants, like English Ivy and Boston Fern, improve air quality by removing toxins. 

In fact, NASA’s landmark study (the NASA Clean Air Study) found there are plenty of options for household plants that release fresh oxygen and soak up harmful particles in the air.

If you’re getting enough sleep, you should be getting between seven and nine hours of shut eye every night. That’s a lot of hours to be breathing in contaminated air. 

Even if your bedroom doesn’t have big windows or lots of natural sunlight, there are still plenty of houseplants you can incorporate into your sleep zone that are easy to care for. Some plants can survive in incredibly low-light conditions, so you can simply pot them, set them on your nightstand, and let them do their work!

Here are 6 house plants that NASA says you need in your bedroom (and why).

1. Areca Palm -- Originally from Madagascar, the areca palm tops the list in terms of efficiency at getting rid of air pollutants. The palm is great for anyone prone to sinus issues or colds, as it releases moisture in the air (which is critical in cold-climate winter months!) 
2. English Ivy -- That beautiful ivy that grows up the sides of buildings and houses is also great for the bedroom for several reasons. Researchers at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology found that English ivy removes 78% of airborne mold in just 12 hours. It’s also versatile when it comes to growing conditions, meaning low maintenance.
3. Dwarf Date Palm -- This plant is drought-tolerant, which gives you the green light to forget it’s even there! It’s most effective at removing xylene, a common air pollutant. They’re fairly small and grow relatively slowly, making them easy to take care of.
4. Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen) -- Another great plant for your bedroom that thrives on neglect is the Chinese evergreen, dubbed the easiest plant to keep at home. This one can grow in almost a completely dark interior space, all while secretly removing toxins.
5. Spider Plant -- According to several studies, spider plants can remove up to 90% of toxins in as little as two days. For those with allergies and those who are sensitive to dust, this plant can help to minimize the effects on your respiratory system. Also, they grow super quickly but need some sunlight and bi-weekly watering to thrive.
6. Boston Fern -- This type of fern is known to function as a natural air humidifier. While adding humidity to the air, it also helps to eliminate the toxin formaldehyde. For this reason, Boston fern ranks 9th in NASA’s list of 50 air-purifying plants. 

At Naturepedic, it is our mission to promote a safe, healthy sleep environment. That’s why we make all of our certified-organic mattresses with only the finest natural materials that won’t off-gas and impact the air quality of your bedroom.

Check out our EOS organic mattresses to learn more about the materials we use, like organic wool batting and organic latex, on our website.