If you thought your houseplants were party animals who love basking in the light 24/7… think again. Just like you, your leafy roommates need their rest. That’s right, plants need darkness. Not just “I’ll pull the curtain halfway closed” darkness, but real, honest-to-goodness lights-off, time-to-chill darkness.

Plants may not snore or wear pajamas (although we’d totally buy that calendar), but they do follow a daily rhythm called a circadian cycle, basically nature’s version of a to-do list with set hours.
Here’s what your houseplants are doing when the lights go off:

• Growing like crazy (think stretching out roots, leaves, and stems)
• Recharging energy from all that photosynthesis work
• Balancing plant hormones—because yes, plants have moods too!

Without darkness, your plant basically feels like it’s pulling an all-nighter every night. And let’s be honest, no one looks good doing that. Not even your Ficus.

Your plants might not beg for bedtime stories, but they definitely need their rest. Giving them a proper light/dark cycle makes them stronger, happier, and more likely to show off those Instagram-worthy leaves.
So go ahead—flip off the lights, whisper “goodnight,” and let nature do its thing.