“Never in the bedroom” goes an old saying. Is it justified or not? This received idea is based on the fact that plants breathe like any living being, that is to say that they take oxygen and release carbon dioxide into the surrounding environment. In daylight, this respiration is largely compensated by the activity of photosynthesis (see page 71) which results in reverse gas exchanges ten to fifty times more intense. But this is no longer true at night. Doesn’t the plant then run the risk of “pumping” the oxygen? you must not exaggerate. Experiments have calculated that 10 to 20 grams of leaves absorb on average 1 milliliter of oxygen per hour and release an equivalent dose of carbon dioxide. A small flowerpot in the bedroom therefore does not risk suffocating you! If doctors continue to advise against greenery near the bed, it is rather because of the humidity and mold often generated by the plant. These microorganisms attack respiration and are a source ofallergies. Since it is not while sleeping that we benefit from the presence of plants, it seems wise to reserve other rooms for them. But if you work in your room or if you live in a studio, allowing yourself one is hardly a risk either … Except for people with an allergic tendency, for whom it remains a very bad idea.
