It has widely been said that it is dangerous to sleep in the same room with a plant at night and this is because most plants are known to release Carbon dioxide at night and inhale oxygen through a process known as respiration. During the day, plants utilize Carbon dioxide, sunlight, and water in a process known as photosynthesis to produce glucose which is stored for later use. At night, plants take in Oxygen and break down the sugars to produce energy which they use for metabolism and growth functions. However, it is important to note that respiration doesn’t only happen at night, it also happens during the day at the same time as photosynthesis does.
There are however certain plants that do the opposite, i.e., take in carbon dioxide at night and release oxygen. These plants are able to do this through a process known as Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). CAM is a process that is usually adopted by plants that grow in dry areas. To avoid losing water during hot days, these plants close their stomata and therefore do not take in Oxygen during the day. They then open their stomata at night and take in Carbon dioxide which they store for future metabolic processes and give off oxygen at night.
Which plants give Oxygen 24 hours? Most of the plants that give off oxygen during the day and the night are plants whose habitat is hot and dry and this happens due to an adaptation to low moisture levels. Examples of such plants include; Aloe vera, Sage, Lavender, Orchids, Snake plant, and Tulsi. These plants are better for the environment, especially indoor plants.
Why is it Important for Plants to Release Oxygen?
Plants have been said to maintain the atmosphere due to their ability to give off Oxygen and take in Carbon dioxide as well as their purifying ability. In the earth’s atmosphere, the air is composed of many gases and these are; Nitrogen (which makes up 78%), Oxygen (which constitutes 21% of the atmosphere), Carbon dioxide, and other gases such as Argon and Neon take up the remaining 1%. As earlier mentioned, during the day in the presence of light, most plants take in Carbon dioxide and give off oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis while during respiration; they take in Oxygen and give off Carbon dioxide. The average human takes in 5 liters of Oxygen during each breath. If left on our own, we would slowly suffocate as the Oxygen in the atmosphere would be insufficient for us. The importance of plants thus comes in at this point, the Oxygen plants release during photosynthesis is vital as it contributes to the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.
A growing plant generally releases more Oxygen than it takes in. Therefore, the action of plants releasing Oxygen is important because they add to the Oxygen concentration in the atmosphere which benefits all living things in the long run. We can therefore say that plants maintain the atmosphere. Some of these plants can be bought off online platforms like this Medicinal and Herbal Tea Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit that contains Lavender and Chamomile among other plants that give off Oxygen at all times and confers other beneficial health and environmental benefits. You can find out more about it here.
How do Plants Get Rid of Oxygen?
During photosynthesis, plants use Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, light from the sun, and moisture drawn from the roots to produce sugar and Oxygen. This sugar is stored in the plant and is then broken down later in the absence of light to release energy. Oxygen is released into the atmosphere and we can therefore say that plants produce Oxygen which is why it is said that they release significantly more Oxygen than they take in. Oxygen is released from the plant through a gaseous exchange process that takes place on the surface of the leaf through special openings located on the lower surface of the plant known as stomata. The stomata open and close regularly depending on the activity taking place in the leaf. The opening and closing of the stomata is mostly regulated by the moisture levels in the leaves.
Gaseous exchange is more complicated in plants than it is in animals. This is because in plants, respiration and photosynthesis take place at the same time and they both use different gases. However, plants get rid of Oxygen through a complex process and it is released from the stomata. Plants that give off Oxygen during the night are the safest kinds of plants to have in one’s bedrooms as the ones that don’t could end up competing for oxygen with you leading to low atmospheric oxygen levels. Having these plants that give off oxygen at all times can improve the quality of the air during the day and improve sleep during the night.
Best Plants for Bedroom Oxygen
Following our discussion on the importance of plants that give Oxygen all the time, we now know that such plants would be better fits for our bedrooms. There are various plants that not only confer aesthetic benefits they are also beneficial to our health and environment.
Such plants include;
- Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)- this plant not only has several skin benefits, but it also produces oxygen at night helping one sleep better. Additionally, it plays a role in removing some harmful chemicals from the environment such as formaldehyde and benzene. This plant can be purchased from various shops, I recommend getting this Aloe Vera plant from Amazon which comes with a few easy-to-follow instructions on how to take care of your new plant. Find out more by clicking here.
- Sage (Salvia officinalis) – many of us recognize this plant as one of the spices we see in our kitchen. In addition to this, it gives off oxygen at night and has a minty fragrance which helps better our sleep. This makes Sage a good fit as a bedroom plant.
- Money plant (Epipremnum aureum) – the money tree, so-called due to the shape of its leaves, has been known to help with the management of sleep disorders and plays a role in filtering the air. In addition to this, it gives Oxygen at all times. The money tree has been known to confer many more benefits and can be the perfect bedroom plant.
- Areca plant (Dypsis lutescens) – In addition to the fact that this is one of the plants that give Oxygen at night, it helps eliminate noxious chemicals from the air such as Toluene and Xylene and can help us avoid a host of health-related issues caused by these chemicals.
- Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)- the spider plant has had several health benefits attributed to it such as helping speed up recovery, purifying the air, improving the quality of sleep due to the fact that it gives Oxygen even at night. It is also pretty low maintenance and it is, therefore, a good starter plant.
These are a few examples of plants that give oxygen all day and can thus be suitable bedroom plants. Most plants not only give off Oxygen all day, but they also confer other properties that prove beneficial to us and our surroundings. These plants, therefore, have a lot to offer.
How Much Oxygen Does a Plant Produce?
An average human being inhales approximately 7-8 liters of Oxygen a minute and a plant is estimated to give about five milliliters of Oxygen an hour. However, having more than one plant in our house has been shown to increase the number of Oxygen plants produce every hour.
It has also been proven that plants give off oxygen at varying rates. The environmental temperature, as well as the stage of growth in which a plant is in, may affect the amount of Oxygen it gives off. Therefore, if we want our house plants to give off more Oxygen, it is important to regulate their temperature.
Final Thoughts
Plants are good for our health and the environment. The most ideal plants to get for the bedroom are those that give Oxygen throughout. These plants have been known to improve the quality of sleep, get rid of toxic and harmful chemicals in the environment and they also give off Oxygen at all times which is beneficial to us as human beings. Examples of such plants include; Aloe vera, money plant, orchids, sage, chamomile, Areca plant, spider plant, Peepal plant amongst others. These plants are able to give off Oxygen at night as a result of them closing their stomata during the day to avoid loss of water which is a feature in many plants whose habitats are hot and dry.
In addition to the fact that these plants give off Oxygen at all times, they also take in Carbon dioxide. They thus reduce the concentration of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which can make for a conducive environment for a good night.