The best remedy to stop your partner snoring and keeping you awake is a pineapple, say scientists.
But the solution is not to ram the prickly fruit into their mouth , but to keep a pineapple plant nearby on a bedside table.
The shock discovery was made by a research team at the US space agency NASA.
They were looking for ways to keep air clean in space craft and the international space station when they came across their discovery.
NASA says the plant sucks in carbon dioxide to help growth and outputs oxygen in place of the gas, which improves the air quality around noisy sleepers and helps them have a quiet night’s sleep.
Plants with health benefits
The bad news is pineapple plants are not easy to keep outside the tropics and supply is limited .
According to medics, snoring is triggered in several ways, including the shape of your mouth and nasal cavity; drinking too much alcohol; colds, allergies and being overweight.
Snoring starts when muscles relax around the roof of the mouth and throat, which causes them to vibrate.
Pineapples are not the only house plants with health benefits:
- NASA also recommend aloe vera for clean air in the home as it also takes in carbon dioxide and releases oxygen throughout the night
- Areca palms put moisture into the air, which purifies pollutants
- Ivy fights mould – removing 78% of airborne particles in just 12 hours, although that depends on the size of the plant and room
Other plants to consider for better air quality in the living room or bedroom are dwarf date palms, Boston ferns, a spider plant, Lady palm and weeping fig.
Air cleansing while you sleep
All effectively cleanse the air while you sleep, says NASA.
The study looked at ‘sick building syndrome’ and concluded around one in three new or refurbished buildings suffer from indoor air pollution.
The space agency recommends placing one plant per square foot in buildings – which amounts to one in a 10 square metre room, such as a bedroom, study or dining room. Larger rooms should have two or three plants dotted about.