In most places in India, summer is already making its scorching presence felt! Temperatures have started soaring, and so, we are getting ready to experience that familiar ‘baking in an oven’ feeling. But wait…but there’s a natural alternative for beating the heat. Nature has provided us with wonderful indoor plants that bring down the temperature inside any room by a few degrees, purify the air and also give your eyes that much needed shot of refreshing, rejuvenating green!

Indoor plants are known to absorb warm air, release oxygen and cool moisture into the air during its transpiration process. When the air around heats up, they release excess water into the air through their leaves, to cool themselves and the indoor atmosphere. What is more, they simultaneously flush out carbon dioxide and toxins from the air.

Here are the best indoor plants that will help you enjoy a cooler summer

Aloe Vera: Aloe has more to it than meets the eye. The high water content in Aloe Vera’s leaves encourage the plant to release cool evaporated moisture into the air. In addition, aloe gel is a great balm to calm a sunburn. The inner gel of this healing plant is said to form a protective layer for the skin, and  also prevent dry skin by retaining moisture and keeping it hydrated. At night, your indoor plant absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the atmosphere, so keeping an aloe vera plant in the bedroom can help you sleep better.

Sansivera: Like Aloe Vera, the snake plant has high water content that makes it superb at keeping your home cool. To maximize the cooling effect, try placing several of them near a window, to help block excessive sunlight.  Apart from looking great, Sansivera, a low maintenance plant is known to be one of the most oxygen producing houseplants. Its Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM), the capability to perform a particular type of photosynthesis encourages the plant to reduce Co2 in the night. They need very little watering and hence make ideal summer plants for the indoors.

Trust me, these plants can make a huge difference to your indoors in Summer. The more indoor plants you can, the merrier. Just remember to choose indoor plants that are leafy and have air purification properties. Take care of their minimal needs regarding sunlight, potting mix and watering.

Then relax and enjoy a refreshing summer.