Is it OK to Sleep in a Room Full of Plants? What Science Actually Says
Apr, 17 2025
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably heard people say you shouldn’t sleep in a room packed with plants. There’s this idea floating around that plants might “steal” your oxygen at night and leave you waking up groggy or worse. Let’s get one thing straight—plants do take in oxygen at night, but unless you live in a literal jungle, it’s nowhere near enough to mess with your breathing. Seriously, you’d need hundreds of huge plants to even make a dent in your room’s oxygen levels.
Here’s what most folks don’t talk about: Plants actually soak up carbon dioxide and let out oxygen during the day. At night, they switch it up and take in a little oxygen. But compared to your average house cat (shoutout to Snowball, who’s probably snoring on my pillow as we speak), your plants are low-key when it comes to oxygen needs. So unless you’re sharing your bedroom with more plants than furniture, it’s just not something to panic about.
- Where the Fear Comes From: Plants, Oxygen, and CO2
- What Studies Reveal About Air Quality and Sleep
- The Good, The Bad, and The Allergic: Who Should Be Careful
- Best Bedroom Plants and Pro Tips for Plant Lovers
Where the Fear Comes From: Plants, Oxygen, and CO2
This whole rumor about sleeping with a bunch of indoor plants causing breathing problems came from a misunderstanding of plant science. Here's the nutshell version: Plants do something called photosynthesis during the day, which means they soak up carbon dioxide and chuck out oxygen, making the air feel a bit fresher. At night, they flip the switch and do a little breathing themselves—they take in oxygen and spit out carbon dioxide. But the amount is tiny, especially compared to humans or pets like your cat or dog.
So, why do people still worry? Maybe it's because we hear 'plants take in oxygen at night' and immediately imagine gasping for air with a room full of ferns. But an average adult uses way more oxygen than a whole shelf of houseplants combined.
| Oxygen Consumption (per hour) | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| One adult human | 15-20 liters |
| Houseplant (like a pothos or peace lily) | 0.01-0.1 liters |
Looking at these numbers, you’d literally need over one hundred big plants in your bedroom before you’d notice even the tiniest change in air quality. It’s just not a real-life problem for anyone with a normal amount of leafy buddies.
Also, let’s not forget people have been sleeping in nature—tents, cabins, even treehouses—without keeling over from lack of oxygen. The fear is way overblown, and if anything, a few plants make your space feel calmer, not stuffier.
What Studies Reveal About Air Quality and Sleep
If you’re thinking about indoor plants in your bedroom, it’s normal to want proof that they won’t mess up your sleep or air quality. Here’s the real scoop: a bunch of research says most houseplants won’t harm your nightly shut-eye—in fact, some can boost the air you breathe.
Let’s take a look at a well-known NASA study. Back in the 1980s, NASA tested common indoor plants for their air-cleaning powers. They put plants like the snake plant, spider plant, and peace lily in sealed rooms and found that some could pull chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde out of the air. But here’s the catch: they had to pack dozens of plants into a tiny box for those results. In a real-world bedroom, you’ll need way more than just one fern to notice a big difference. So yes, plants do clean air, but don’t expect miracles with just a handful.
As for oxygen, studies show that even packed with typical houseplants, your room’s oxygen drop is almost nothing. LiveScience compared oxygen use between a bunch of plants and one person—people use up about 10 times more oxygen at night. So, if you sleep fine sharing the bed with your partner, you’re totally safe adding a bedroom full of potted greens.
Allergic to pollen or sensitive to mold? That’s a different story. Research from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology points out that some folks get sniffly if plants shed pollen or if soil stays damp and grows mold. Most leafy indoor plants shed little to no pollen, but if allergies are a pain, keep an eye out for dust and don’t overwater.
Here’s a quick summary of how plants stack up in a bedroom setting:
| Aspect | Impact of Indoor Plants |
|---|---|
| Oxygen Levels at Night | Effectively unchanged; not a risk |
| Air Purification | Slight improvement, strongest with many plants |
| Allergy Triggers | Possible (mold, rare pollen); manageable |
| Sleep Quality | Not harmed; some report feeling calmer |
The bottom line? Most people find that sleeping among a few plants is completely safe—and might even make your bedroom feel fresher. If you want top-notch air quality, keep your plants healthy, dust-free, and skip the overwatering.
The Good, The Bad, and The Allergic: Who Should Be Careful
Most people can sleep just fine in a room filled with indoor plants. In fact, they might sleep even better. Certain plants like snake plants or peace lilies put a little more oxygen into the air, which some folks say makes the room feel fresher (and less stuffy) overnight. Plus, just having greenery around can chill you out before bed. It’s kind of like a natural white noise machine for your eyes.
But it’s not 100% perfect for everyone. People with allergies, asthma, or serious mold sensitivities should be a bit more picky about their bedroom plant choices. Some plants push out pollen, and wet soil can build up mold if you’re not careful. If you’ve got a runny nose or itchy eyes every morning, your plants (plus their soil) could be why.
- Watch out for pollen-heavy plants like chrysanthemums or lilies if allergies are your typical bedtime enemy.
- Don’t overwater your plants—damp soil is like an all-you-can-eat buffet for mold.
- Wipe leaves every few weeks so dust won’t turn into an allergy trigger. It’s simple, but it matters.
Now, if you’re a pet owner like me, remember that some indoor plants are toxic to cats and dogs. Snowball, my cat, will nibble just about anything—so I keep lilies and philodendrons far away. Here’s a quick stats table on common problems with plants in bedrooms:
| Potential Issue | How Common? | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Allergies (pollen or mold) | 10-30% of people get symptoms | Choose low-pollen plants, dry out soil, clean leaves |
| Toxicity to pets | Common plants in 25% of homes are toxic to cats/dogs | Google before you buy, keep dangerous plants out of reach |
| Oxygen/CO2 imbalance | Rare (needs extreme number of plants) | No fix needed in normal homes |
The bottom line: Most folks get nothing but benefits from sleeping in a room with the right indoor plants. If you deal with allergies or have pets, just pick your plants with a little extra care and pay attention to how your body feels. That’s much more important than any old rumor about plants "stealing" your air at night.
Best Bedroom Plants and Pro Tips for Plant Lovers
Not every plant is a good fit for the bedroom. If you want to boost air quality and enjoy a chill vibe, go for plants known to be safe and low-maintenance indoors. Some are actual powerhouses that can filter toxins and stay fresh with hardly any fuss.
- Snake Plant (Sansevieria): It’s famous for cleaning indoor air. Unlike most plants, it keeps pumping out oxygen even at night. Super tough, too—you can forget to water it for weeks and it won’t complain.
- Spider Plant: Great for beginners, filters out stuff like formaldehyde, and is non-toxic for pets like cats and dogs. Snowball loves to bat at the leaves, so pet-friendliness is a real dealbreaker for me.
- Pothos: Grows pretty much anywhere and eats up VOCs (those nasty chemicals from paint and furniture). Looks cool hanging or trailing from a shelf.
- Peace Lily: Top pick for removing mold spores from air—a bonus for allergy-prone folks. Just keep it away from pets, since it isn’t safe for curious nibblers.
- Aloe Vera: Doubles as a natural first-aid kit for burns and scrapes and helps purify the air. It doesn’t need constant attention, just sunlight and occasional water.
Want your indoor plants to actually thrive (and not turn into wilted stalks)? Use these tips:
- Keep plants away from cold drafts or blasting heaters near your bed.
- Don’t flood them with water—stick a finger in the soil, only water if it feels dry an inch down.
- Rotate pots every week so all sides catch the sunlight.
- Pick pots with drainage holes to avoid root rot—soggy roots are plant killers.
- If you have allergies, dust your plant leaves regularly or choose varieties like snake plants, which don’t have pollen-heavy blooms.
Curious about how much plants actually help with air quality? NASA famously ran a study showing certain plants can remove up to 87% of airborne toxins in 24 hours—in a sealed lab, though, not your typical bedroom. Still, adding even a handful of the right plants can make your space feel fresher and less stuffy.
| Plant Name | Best For | Pet Safe? |
|---|---|---|
| Snake Plant | Nighttime oxygen, low care | No |
| Spider Plant | Removing toxins | Yes |
| Peace Lily | Mold spore removal | No |
| Pothos | VOC removal | No |
| Aloe Vera | Air purification, first aid | No |
A couple of last tips: if you’re a sleepwalker or have a frisky pet like Snowball, put fragile plants up high or in hangers—otherwise you’ll have dirt everywhere by sunrise. Stick with just a few plants to start. Trust me, it’s easier to add than to rehome a whole jungle if things get out of hand.