Sunday 20 November 2011

Houseplants for Better Sleep

By Alexandra Williams


The amount of physical activity that you expend during the day is a key ingredient to helping you sleep restfully at night.

According to the principles of Feng Shui, strategic placement of objects can mean the difference between health and illness.

Placing houseplants in the main living areas of a house, for example, can enhance the flow of energy through the entire structure. Similarly, placing houseplants in the bedroom can mean better sleep for the occupants of the house.

This could be a contributing factor to your sleep problem. Some common food allergies that are known to contribute to insomnia are corn, dairy products, wheat, and chocolate.Try to schedule your last evening meal at least four hours before bed. Eat a healthy, well balanced meal. Try not to overeat as this may cause you to become tired after your meal.You want to avoid feeling tired or napping in the early evening hours as this will greatly hinder your ability to fall asleep at bedtime. As well, try to eat enough so that you are not hungry later and find yourself reaching for foods that are high in fat or sugars.

b)Most plants remove toxins from the air-pollutants that are found in houses-- such as formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, ammonia, acetone, ethyl acetate. Houseplants can actually absorb these pollutants through their leaves and convert them to harmless substances. New findings suggest that plants can be a good antidote to the sick building "disease" most often caused by our unsustainable high tech innovations for convenience. A single spider plant in a closed chamber containing formaldehyde can remove 85% of the pollutant within 24 hours. Experts estimate that fifteen houseplants can make a dramatic impact on clean air quality in an average house. Some houseplants seem to be particularly effective in absorbing and removing indoor pollutants. These are, to name a few, Chinese evergreen, dracaena, orchids, golden pothos, Norfolk Island pine, red emerald philodendron, spider plant, schefflera and snake plant.

c)Houseplants also act as purifiers of animal bioeffluents-substances not produced by materials in a building, but by humans and animals. These include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane, alcohol and others. Houseplants do a wonderful job of converting these bioeffluents into harmless substances. Peace lilies, parlor palms, chrysanthemums, for example, are wonderful houseplants that purify the air of biological and biochemical toxins. Moreover, the moisture given off by plants suppress the formation of airborne microbes, thus diminishing the "allergenic" potential of the bedroom.

If your body is well hydrated it won't signal you to wake up during the night. Try to avoid drinking water or other liquids one hour before bed if the need to urinate wakes you up during the night.

If you find that you have no time to exercise on a regular basis try sneaking extra moments of activity into your daily schedule. Take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible.

Try parking your car around the corner and walking that extra block to your appointment. There are many small ways that you can incorporate some added activity into your life. Your goal is to have a healthy, well balanced life...




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