The presence of houseplants in a bedroom often sparks debate, with many people wondering if this practice is safe or beneficial. This article will clarify how plants affect your bedroom air and offer guidance on selecting the best varieties for your sleeping environment.
Debunking the Oxygen Depletion Myth
A persistent concern about keeping plants in the bedroom is the idea that they will consume too much oxygen at night, compromising a person’s breathing. This worry stems from a misunderstanding of the two processes plants use for gas exchange: photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Plants perform photosynthesis during the day, using sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into food and releasing oxygen as a byproduct.
Once the sun sets, photosynthesis stops, and the plant switches to cellular respiration, consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, just like humans and animals. However, the amount of oxygen a typical houseplant consumes during the night is extremely small. One study estimated that a person releases hundreds of times more carbon dioxide than a houseplant does in the same period. You would need hundreds of plants in a standard bedroom to reduce the oxygen level by a fraction of a percent, making the fear of suffocation unwarranted.
How Plants Filter Toxins and Improve Air Quality
The true benefit of placing plants in your sleeping space lies in their ability to interact with the air you breathe. Indoor air quality can often be worse than outdoor air because common household items release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These invisible gases, such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene, can accumulate in poorly ventilated rooms.
Plants absorb these VOCs through the tiny pores on their leaves, known as stomata, as well as through a process involving the roots and the soil’s microorganisms. Once absorbed, the plants either break down the pollutants into harmless compounds or store them in their tissues. This natural process of phytoremediation reduces the presence of these airborne chemicals.
Beyond toxin removal, plants also release water vapor through transpiration, which slightly increases the humidity level in a room. Regulating indoor humidity can be helpful for respiratory comfort, especially in dry winter environments.
Best Low-Maintenance and Non-Toxic Plant Choices
When selecting plants for the bedroom, choose varieties known for their low-light tolerance, high air-purifying qualities, and non-toxicity, particularly if pets or children are present. The Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) is highly regarded because it is durable and filters out multiple VOCs, including formaldehyde and benzene. This plant is also notable for its Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) cycle, which allows it to take in carbon dioxide at night, making it popular for bedrooms.
Another excellent, low-maintenance option is the Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum), which is one of the easiest houseplants to grow and propagate. It is recognized for its effectiveness at removing formaldehyde and carbon monoxide and is non-toxic to both cats and dogs.
The Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) is also a strong air purifier, filtering benzene, trichloroethylene, and ammonia, and it tolerates low-light conditions well. While it requires more frequent watering than the other two, the Peace Lily is a beautiful choice, though it is mildly toxic if ingested and should be placed out of reach of pets.