There’s nothing worse than insomnia. Have you ever felt truly tired but were unable to go to sleep? Our mind races thinking about all the things we have to do or stressing about an upcoming event or deadline. We know we need sleep, but we simply can’t relax.

While we now know that new parents are sleep deprived for up to 6 years, what about those of us that are sleep deprived and we don’t have little kids running around the house? If you’ve tried tricks like yoga, tea and reading before bed but you’re still not able to relax, you might not need to resort to taking sleeping pills. You might just need to buy a houseplant.

Yes, there are certain houseplants that have been proven to improve the quality of sleep, and it doesn’t hurt that they’re easy to take care of and look pretty amazing too.

1. Snake Plant

   We love this plant because it purifies the air and is very low maintenance. As far as sleep goes, it aids in shut-eye by converting carbon dioxide to oxygen at night, not just during the day like most plants. This extra oxygen in the air makes it easier to sleep especially for anyone who has allergies.

2. Heartleaf Philodendron

   We had these in every room of our childhood home. We don’t know if mom knew how beneficial they were or if she just loved the trailing, jungle look of the heart-shaped leaves. While this plant has amazing benefits, like removing formaldehyde from the air and helping maintain humidity levels, it is toxic for cats and dogs. If you have pets, please keep these plants out of their reach.

3. Golden Pothos

   If you like the look of the philodendron but have pets in your home, perhaps this very easy to care for plant will be right for you. It’s great at purifying the air.

4. Live Lavender

   Potted lavender doesn’t just look good, it smells good too. Lavender essential oil is frequently used in products to help us relax and fall asleep. This plant does need a little light to grow, so put it by a sunny window, and open the curtains during the day.

5. Spider Plant

   This plant gets you the most bang for your buck because you can create many new plants from just one plant. You might end up with so many that you’ll want to give some to your friends to help them get a good night sleep too.

6. Ferns

   Ferns remove toxins from the air, and they do really well in a humid environment. Perhaps consider putting this in your bathroom instead of your bedroom. Run a relaxing bath before bed, and you’ll most likely have no problem drifting off to dreamland afterwards.

Do you have any of these plants in your bedroom? Which one is your favorite?