How to Use Feng Shui Principles to Help You Get the Sleep You Need

This may surprise you, but where you place your bedroom can affect how well (or poorly) you sleep

Our bedroom is a sanctuary of relaxation and a haven to fall and stay asleep all night long. A supportive mattress, fresh sheets, room-darkening curtains and even what we put on our nightstand can affect the quality and quantity of sleep. But can bed placement in the room actually affect sleep? And if it does, where’s the best place to put our bed for a great night’s sleep?

What is (bedroom) feng shui?

Feng shui “examines how the placement of things and objects within it affect the energy flow in your living environment, and how these objects interact with and influence your personal energy flow.” It makes sense then that feng shui could help you to sleep better too. If you’re someone who experiences insomnia (disrupted sleeping), feng shui might be the answer you’re looking for when you feel like you’ve tried just about everything else to get a good night’s sleep.

According to Feng Shui & Beyond, A feng shui bedroom is “cozy, comfortable, intimate, serene, sensual and deeply restful.” Doesn’t that sound better already? The key to achieving serenity in the bedroom using feng shui is through the use of the follow elements.

• Invest in subtle lighting. Lighting in the bedroom, is very important. Feng shui & Beyond suggests that pairing is important to special orientation in the bedroom. Pictures, lamps and side tables should be placed in pairs to promote equality and partnership. You might also try candlelight (pairs of candles) if you really want to increase the serenity of your bedroom.
• Paint with peaceful colors. Warm, rich colors like browns, creams, lavender, beiges and earth tones will create a nurturing, soothing environment. Avoid colors like bright blues, greens and too much white, which “will diminish intimacy and sensuality.” Red – although not soft and nurturing – is a surprisingly good color to choose for your bedroom. This bold bedroom color can promote tenderness and passion.
• Place bedroom furnishings strategically. Ensure you can walk around both sides of your bed and that it’s the focal point of the room. It should go without saying but your bed should be epitome of comfort. After all a beautifully designed bedroom with a torture-device for a mattress is a failure. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, a Restonic retailer near you is standing by to help you get your better night’s sleep.

What does bad feng shui look like?

Rodika Tchi, author of Know Feng Shui, shares some advice for what you should avoid if you’re trying to create a more harmonious and sleep-inducing bedroom layout.

• Don’t put your bed under a window. When a bed is under a window, the feng shui energy is very weak. On a more complex level, people who sleep in a bed under the window are prone to “feelings of sadness/weakness and can experience a lack of support in life.” If you travel and find yourself in a hotel room with a bed under a window, don’t panic. The effect is only after prolonged sleep under a window.If your bed is already under the window, move it. But if you can’t move it, add a strong headboard and a window covering that can be closed at night. Both of these help to create a more secure backing for the bed.
• Don’t align your bed to the doorway. You might want to move your bed if it’s in this position. In classical Chinese feng shui, this bedroom layout is called having a “coffin bed” because this arrangement has a very harsh quality of energy pointed right at the bed. It also doesn’t help that the energy of the bed itself is being leaked out the door. “Energy-wise, it’s a very unsupportive and weak bed placement,” says Rodika.
• So how do you fix this? If you can’t move your bed to another wall, try adding a solid footboard to your bed. You can also put a piece of furniture between the bed and the door, such as a bench with throw pillows, a small shelf or an upholstered chair.
• Don’t place your bed between the door and window. Placing your bed between a door and a window (or 2 doors or 2 windows) is also bad for energy flow. The direct and strong flow of energy will disturb the bed and consequently those who are in the bed. To correct this, move your bed to the strongest and most protected part of your bedroom. This will help protect the Chi (or energy) in your bed and also encourage a better night’s sleep.

We spend almost a third of our lives sleeping, which means having a comfortable bed is very important. If moving around the furniture in your bedroom could help you to get a more restful night, wouldn’t you give it a try?

Do you arrange the layout of your bedroom to be complementary to feng shui, or do you simply put your furniture where you like it?

Rest well & wake up ready to go!

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:

• What do you put on your nightstand?
• Interior designers share bedroom design strategies
• The essential guide to creating a bedroom you’ll love sleeping in