Can Snake Plants Really Help You Sleep? [ANSWERED]

Snake plants can deliver a host of benefits to your home by cleaning your air. But will keeping one in your bedroom help you sleep better? We’re about to find out.

So you’ve heard on the grapevine that snake plants are great at cleaning the air in your home. Which means keeping one (or a few) in your bedroom can only mean good things…right?

We will explore the truth behind these claims and let you decide whether you want to add a snake plant to your bedroom.

Snake Plants in the Bedroom – The Facts

Okay, we’re going to be upfront and transparent with you.

We at the Garden Bench Top are biased. We are not going to dissuade anyone from adding plants to their home. We encourage it!

In our (humble) opinion, the more plants in people’s lives, the better.

However, another goal of ours is to educate people about gardens and plants, which means knowing the facts.

So with that in mind, here are the pros and cons of snake plant benefits in the bedroom.

Snake Plant Benefits in Bedroom

Let’s begin with the positive aspects of adding a snake plant to the bedroom.

Snake Plants Release Oxygen

Snake plants, like all other plants, undergo a process called photosynthesis.

As you can see from the above image, snake plants will absorb carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis and release pure oxygen as a by-product of the process. On average, a single mature snake plant will produce 0.9-1.0 liter of oxygen daily.

It may already be dawning on you. This isn’t a lot. Given that the average human breathes 11,000 liters of air per day while resting, it is clear we will not rely solely on snake plants for oxygen.

Nevertheless, having a snake plant in the bedroom will contribute to the oxygen levels in your household.

In addition, snake plants don’t have an on-and-off switch. That means they are constantly producing oxygen day and night.

This is a positive in our books!

Snake Plants Purify the Air from Toxins

You may want to sit up for this benefit if you suffer from dust allergies and asthma.

A test by NASA in a sealed space station confirmed snake plants, among other houseplants, were successful in removing a range of toxins from the confined airspace. Their experiments showed that snake plants could remove 87% of toxins from the air, such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, and xylene.

We do acknowledge this experiment is limited in its testing parameters. We do not live in a sealed space, and our homes are subject to many other factors, such as open windows, cooking, etc.

That said, it did prove snake plants can absorb toxins from their surrounding environment, which means fewer toxins we inhale.

Low Care and Maintenance Requirements

Snake plants are one of the simplest plants to keep as a houseplant or garden ornamental.

Besides the occasional water and feed, they are almost a set-and-forget plant.

As succulents, they have the unique ability to store water reserves in their leaves. This makes them drought-resistant, allowing them to survive prolonged periods without water. This is the perfect attribute for a plant in your bedroom – a room you only generally use once a day.

We recommend checking in on your snake plant now and again. To help you anticipate their water requirements, we’ve put together a guide for HOW TO WATER SNAKE PLANTS.

Another important aspect of snake plant care you need to consider is if they receive enough light. Snake plants can survive in low-light conditions, which is common in bedrooms. However, to allow them to thrive, they require bright indirect light.

Positioning them next to the bedroom window is ideal. If direct sunlight enters your bedroom, use a sheer curtain to act as a filter to protect your snake plant.

Negative Aspects of Snake Plants in the Bedroom

In the previous section, we covered the snake plant benefits in bedrooms. As with most things, there are some negative factors to consider when including a snake plant in your bedroom.

Attracts Pests

Okay, we’ll admit pests can grow in any indoor plant you keep in your bedroom. However, snake plants are particularly susceptible to fungus gnats if they are not adequately cared for.

Fungus gnats are attracted to water-logged soil. And snake plants are especially susceptible to moist soil when overwatered. Snake plants have water reserves and will stop extracting water, resulting in moist, soggy soil.

Once adult fungus gnats locate a suitable environment to lay their eggs (wet soil), they infest the snake plants, creating a never-ending cycle of tiny black annoying insects that love to hover around your face.

Not exactly the ideal set-up for a good night’s rest.

Bad Feng Shui Energy

For those that follow the rules of the ancient art form of Feng Shui, snake plants have a mixed relationship with the energy flow around your home.

The pointy ends of the sword-shaped leaves can be interpreted to represent ‘poison arrows’. According to Feng Shui principles, poison arrows attract negative energy. Not something one would like to promote in the bedroom.

That said, the poison arrows on the snake plant can be used to protect against negative energy. Placing a snake plant at an entry point that denotes a weak spot in the house structure will protect against negative energy.

So, if a Feng Shui master identifies an entry point for negative energy in the bedroom, a snake plant may be the solution.

Should I Place a Snake Plant in My Bedroom?

Unfortunately, the answer is not as simple as a yes or no.

Yes, you can expect cleaner air, breathing pure oxygen while you sleep, and better aesthetics with a snake plant in the bedroom.

However, without the proper care, you may invite unwanted guests into the bedroom, such as fungus gnats. Plus, you may disrupt your positive Feng Shui energy.

We suggest evaluating your bedroom space to see if the ambient conditions suit a snake plant to thrive. If you think one can survive, try it for a few months.

You can always move it to another room!