22 Best Indoor Plants for Bedroom and Sleep

Of all the places in your home to have plants, the bedroom is a beneficial but sometimes overlooked space. There are actually many indoor plants that can thrive in the average bedroom setting and also look good while doing so. In addition, many of them are also good for promoting sleep.

Here are the best indoor plants for bedroom and sleep based on factors like how they purify the air and promote oxygen, lower stress levels, or lower heart rate and blood pressure.

Best Indoor Plants for Bedroom Use

Great plants for the bedroom are also those that work to purify the air. All of the plants on this list of best indoor plants for asthma are good choices for that reason, even if you don’t have asthma. As you can see, plants can be more than just decorative accents. They also work to reduce carbon dioxide and dust levels in the home and there are some that can also help promote better healthier sleep.

Check out my picks for the best indoor plants for the bedroom:

1. Peace lily (Spathiphyllum species)

Peace lilies are known for their beauty and the flowers that bloom on them. They are also really easy to care for, which makes them a popular choice for many houseplant enthusiasts. They also happen to have another benefit: they are great air purifiers. They can help reduce the microbe count in your bedroom, which can reduce allergy and asthma symptoms and just make for a better, cleaner night’s sleep.

Check out these other ideas for indoor plants?

2. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Spider plants are fun and full of personality and their white stripes can bring a bit of color to your bedroom if you only have solid green plants in that space. Spider plants are also well known for being great for your air quality. They are tolerant to lower lighting and they do well with moderate watering. They make a great bedroom plant, and they also grow “pups” or “babies” that you can cut off to propagate as more spider plants.

3. Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans)

A simple but elegant plant, the corn plant gives you the look of a tree without having an actual tree (that may get too big) for your bedroom. The variegated green and light green leaves are nice to look at, and the plant itself is pretty hardy. Corn plants can tolerate shade but will sometimes produce flowers if left in the sun. Just keep in mind this is not actual corn and the plant is poisonous to pets or children, so don’t allow anyone to eat it.

4. Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

Parlor palms are great in partial to full shade, and they bring a warm, tropical feel to any bedroom space. They can do well in little to no light (too much sun will actually burn the leaves) and they grow beautiful and tall, with full, tropical fronds. They do love humidity so you can use in, or around, an en suite bathroom, as well.

5. Fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrate)

This tall, unique plant is easily recognizable. All figs are good bedroom plant choices but the tall tree-like look, the large leaves, and the unique look make the fiddle leaf very popular.

Keep in mind, these plants can be a bit finicky. When it comes to watering and lighting, they will not be as forgiving as a pothos or a philodendron, for example. In many parts of the United States, the fiddle leaf fig can be an expensive indoor plant, too, so you may not want to get one if you’re brand new to indoor plants.

6. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)

There are a few different varieties of pothos and all of them do well in the bedroom. You can choose more than one type of pothos or pick the one that you like the look of the most. The care for each variety is the same, and they are a hardy plant that is great for beginners. I recommend pothos before succulents, even, when it comes to choosing a starter plant. They have the added benefit of purifying the air in your bedroom.

7. Snake plant (Sanseveria trifasciata)

Snake plants are sometimes also called mother-in-law’s tongue and they are well known for being great air purifiers. This alone makes them a good choice for the bedroom, but they also do well in all lighting conditions and they’re very easy to care for. They are forgiving if you put them in a corner and forget about them for a while. They don’t drop leaves or require any special or complicated pruning processes. All in all, just a great bedroom plant.

8. Philodendron (various varieties)

There are quite a few different varieties of philodendrons. One of my favorites in the heart-leaf philo and I’ve kept one in my bedroom for about two years now. They are easy to care for, do well in lower-light places, and can be easily propagated if you want to grow more from a healthy plant. They are also good for air quality and they will grow up a trellis or as a vine around the room if you choose, which makes them great for the bedroom, as well as in any other room of the home.

9. Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)

Aloe vera is a popular, common plant recognized by many. Even those who don’t keep houseplants can usually recognize it on sight. It is known for its ability to heal cuts and scrapes, but it also has some other benefits. It will help cleanse the air in your home and it emits oxygen at night, rather than during the day, which means it’s a great plant to keep in the bedroom.

10. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

English ivy is a beautiful, easy to care for, vining plant that is an invasive species outdoors in most of the United States but can have many benefits when kept indoors. Maybe you’ve never thought about bringing this ground cover plant indoors, but it can be a great choice for the bedroom. Ivy has been shown to drastically reduce the airborne mold in a room in a matter of hours. This is perfect for allergy sufferers. It’s also a very forgiving plant that can thrive with less light, also making it a good choice for bedrooms.

11. Lavender (Lavandula)

The scent of lavender has long been known to help promote feelings of calm and to aid in sleep. Having a live lavender plant in your room will give you the same effect, but even better since it’s a live plant. You can put it by your bed to allow yourself to inhale its scent before sleeping. Lavender has been shown in studies to help reduce blood pressure and heart rate.

12. Jasmine (Jasminum)

Another flowering plant that is good for the bedroom is jasmine. It makes a pretty accent plant but the scent from this flower can also help improve the quality of your sleep. Placing it in the bedroom or even on a nightstand or bedside table is a good way to

13. Gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii)

Next, we have Gerbera daisies which bring a nice, cheery color pop to the room in the day. At night, it works wonders in your bedroom by absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting fresh oxygen. They have been frequently recommended for people with allergies and sleep apnea. They do require a bit more care than other sleep-promoting plants, so do your research first. They may not be the best choice for a beginner but if you’ve been keeping indoor plants for a while, you can study their care requirements and give them a go.

14. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officianalis)

Rosemary doesn’t just belong in the kitchen. This plant has a strong aroma that is known to help reduce anxiety and stress, which makes it a great choice for the bedroom. When you regularly grow and keep rosemary, it’s also easy to snip off a piece here and there when you need it for a recipe. Win-win!

15. Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)

There are many things to love about the rubber plant, which is a type of ficus. It has an interesting look to it, with rubber-like leaves, hence the name. It grows in a vertical stance, like the snake plant, and can add more visual appeal to an area with other houseplants. They like moderate to bright light, so it’s best if you place them in or near a window that gets good lighting and not in the corner of your bedroom. They also like constant moisture. They can be a bit more finicky than other plants on the list so might not be best for newbies.

16. Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)

Next, we have another palm and this one is just gorgeous. The plumes of this palm can grow as high as 7 or 7 feet tall and when placed in a bedroom, you can bring the tropics right to you. This is a great way to create a relaxing, vacation-like ambiance in your bedroom. It will need plenty of space to grow so big, so be sure it’s right for you. They also need bright light and a lot of moisture, like most tropicals, so plan accordingly if you choose the Areca palm.

17. Boston fern(Nephrolepsis exaltata)

Boston ferns are beautiful and easily one of my favorite indoor plants. However, they are also the ones I have killed the most. It took me a lot of tries to get it right with the Boston fern and from hearing people talk in my plant groups, I am not alone. This is not the best choice for a starter plant. That said, they are inexpensive, easily available in most areas and they make great bedroom plants. Just be prepared for the fact that they need misting every day and they will shed regularly, so you’ll be picking up pieces in your bedroom on the regular.

18. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)

The Chinese evergreen is a beautiful plant with a unique look. It has glossy, pale green leaves with white markings in the middle. They can bloom indoors and looks similar to the peace lily bloom, but this can be a problem for the plant when kept indoors. All the energy will go to the flower and not to keeping the leaves up and growing, so many people opt to prune back the flowers for the sake of the greenery.

This plant is easy to grow, tolerates low light, and does well indoors, so it’s a great choice for the bedroom. It likes the soil to be lightly moist at all times. I had trouble with over-watering and started bottom watering mine: now they are thriving.

19. Lacy-Tree Philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum)

This philodendron is great for the bedroom, the same as others we have mentioned above, but it has a very unique look when compared to the other philos. This one looks like a tree. It has large leavings with a delicate, lace-like edge to them. It starts upright but tends to spread out more as it matures. It can do well in moderate light and you should water when the top few inches of soil are dried out. Overall, it’s not too difficult to care for and looks great in a bedroom.

20. Dieffenbachia (various hybrids)

This is one of my favorite plants. I bought my first ones on sale at a local hardware store, off-season, and marked down to $2 each. They are now almost five feet tall. One thing to be aware of before you put this one in your bedroom is that they are poisonous, and you should keep pets away. It has the nickname “dumb cane” for this very reason. It only needs moderate, filtered light and moist (but not soggy) soil.

21. Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)

Lucky bamboo isn’t actually bamboo at all, but a type of dracaena. It does resemble bamboo and is often sold as such. It is a hardy plant that is difficult to kill. It likes moderate light, but I’ve had one in my bathroom with no window for 2 years and it is still thriving. The ones in my bedroom that get more light are growing faster, however. This is a very low-maintenance plant that looks great and does well in the bedroom or bathroom.

22. ZZ plant (Zamioculcas)

Last on our list today is the shiny-leafed ZZ plant. This is a small but unique plant that looks great on a nightstand or table or dresser. It does well in low light and with irregular watering so it’s not a drama queen if you forget about it for a few days. You should only water when the top few inches of soil are all dried out.

There are also other plants for health that you might consider for your bedroom space as well. Many on these two lists will cross over because they are popular houseplants for the health benefits they bring as well. At the end of the day, if you like the plant and you want it in your bedroom, and can meet the care conditions it needs there, go for it.

Conclusion of Best Indoor Plants for Bedroom and Sleep

Now that you know about these best indoor plants for bedroom and sleep, you can choose the ones that speak to you the most. Unless you have a large bedroom, you may not have room for all 22 plants in your bedroom. However, you could put your favorites in your bedroom, some in other bedrooms of your home, and even include them in a guest suite or bedroom if you have one.

Your guests will feel so much better staying over when you choose some of these plants. When traveling, I always choose AirBNBs with plants over those who do not have plants, when I have a choice. It just makes the space feel so much brighter, warmer, cleaner, and comfortable. What are your favorites from the list?

Pin To Save For Later