A Good Night’s Sleep
Find grounding with these Feng Shui tips to improve sleep, and increase vitality.
I always ask my clients if they feel drawn to their bedrooms, and how they are sleeping. Sleep plays such an important role in our lives, not only are we resting our bodies and internal organs, but we are also doing important dreamwork - unraveling the events of the day, working out problems that leave us stumped during waking hours, and filing away memories.
If you aren’t getting the rest that your body needs, try some of the Feng Shui tips that I recommend to my clients. After years of practice, these stand out as the most effective and easy-to-implement ways to improve rest.
Bedroom Placement
Bedrooms are best placed in the rear of the home where the energy is more yin. If you have to have your bedroom next to a street, try a sound machine, super soft fluffy bedding, or heavy curtains to increase the yin energy of the room.
What Type Of Bed Is Best?
Choose a bed that aligns with these recommendations:
Pick a bed that is ideally made out of wood
Choose a mattress that is made from organic natural materials, preferably without springs.
Allow airflow under the bed. I prefer a bed that is at least a few inches off of the ground. Avoid storage under the bed as this can lead to feelings of stagnation.
Make sure your bed has a solid headboard. This will make you feel more supported and safe with the mountain energy behind your head.
Align Your Bed
The way that your bed is arranged in your bedroom can have a major impact. Here are some guidelines to follow when planning the layout of a bedroom.
Have the head of your bed anchored to a solid wall. Do not place the bed under a window unless there is no other choice. If you must, incorporate heavy curtains to slow the flow of chi over your body.
Do not have your feet pointing out a door. This causes you to be sleeping in a high chi flow area. Sleep will diminish in quality and health will suffer. If this isn’t enough to convince you, consider the tradition of carrying out bodies of the recently departed through the doorway feet first. If there is no other orientation possible, add a strong footboard, and/or a bench at the foot of the bed.
Put yourself in Command Position. You want to easily be able to see the doorway without having to turn your head. You will feel safer and more comfortable with this easy subliminal improvement.
Do not put the head of your bed on a wall that is shared with a bathroom, especially a toilet. The movement in the pipes will feel unsettling, not to mention that you don’t want that type of draining energy right next to your pillow.
Mirrors In The Bedroom
Although it is helpful to have a mirror next to a closet, mirrors in the bedroom can do more harm than good. Never have the mirror pointing so that you can see yourself while you are in bed. When you roll over at night, you will see movement in the mirror, and your brain will perceive this as a subliminal threat, triggering your brain to alert. Mirrors are also very powerful sources of active yang energy, which is the exact opposite of the yin you need to sleep. If you must have a mirror in the bedroom, make sure that it is not pointing towards the bed or directly out the door, this will cause conflict energy.
Grounding
Compared to our ancestors, we spend a minuscule amount of time outside directly connecting to Earth. Asphalt, rubber shoes, and car culture are just a few of the blocks, but there are many more in modern life. The easiest way to find grounding is to connect directly to the Earth - stand barefoot in the grass, lean against a tree, sit on a blanket in the yard, and pull weeds. You can also connect to the Earth in your home through an espom salt bath (the water pipes connect to the ground), or by using an Earthing grounding mat in your office or on your bed. The grounding mat connects to the electrical ground in your home’s outlets thereby sending Earth energy where you need it. it is great for improving sleep.
Breathwork
If you find your mind racing, try watching your breath. Boxed breathing sends the message to your brain that you are safe and in control, and that all is well. Here is how you can easily try box breathing. Inhale for the count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4 - like four equal sides of a box. This breathwork enabled me to even give birth to my son without any pain medication at all.
Acupressure Mats
Although it seems counter-intuitive, laying on a spiky acupressure mat for 15-20 minutes quiets the mind and relaxes the body. I keep a Shakti Mat near the bed in case my mind starts to race when I would prefer to be sleeping.
Yoga
Physical activity is important to health in general, and yoga stretches the muscles and uses up energy that could otherwise manifest in anxiety if it weren’t relieved in a positive way. Yin yoga in the evening is amazing for sleep. Yoga Nidra is a powerful sleep enhancer. It is a meditative guided experience either through a yoga studio, or an online guided audio source.
Aromatherapy
Lavender, chamomile, frankincense, and clary sage are all wonderful for aiding sleep. You can mist the essential oils on your bedding, or use a diffuser in the bedroom.
Caffeine And Tea
If you have trouble sleeping, do not drink caffeine after 2 pm. Try other energy enhances in the afternoon like an herbal tea like Moringa or incorporate energizing movements when you take a break from your desk.
EMFs
Try to limit electrical devices near the bed, especially charging phones and Bluetooth speakers. I have found these to be especially high in Electromagnetic Fields, which are more difficult for your body to process while you are sleeping. Having a technology-free sleeping space is best for rest.
Lucky Directions
If we have worked together, you already know your own personal Ming Gua lucky directions. If all of the other bed arrangement suggestions are met and you still have bed placement choices, pick the direction where your head is pointing to your Health, Prosperity, Relationship Harmony, or Clear Thinking direction.
Desks in the Bedroom
It is best to not have a workspace in the bedroom, as working and sleeping are completely opposite energies, and the yin of the bed will seep into the workspace, and the yang of the workspace will affect sleep. If there is no other possibility, try using a screen divider to separate the areas so you can put your work to “bed” when the work day is finished. Use a folding floor screen, or mount pleasant fabric curtains to hang from the ceiling using curtain ceiling tracks. With those methods, you can easily open and close your workday and keep the energy separate.
TVs in the Bedroom
I recommend avoiding a TV in the bedroom. Our brains haven’t evolved to process that kind of light late at night, and it can interfere with the quality of your sleep. The TV screen can also act as a mirror that is pointing at the bed, which also isn’t ideal. If you must have a TV in the bedroom, cover it at night with pretty fabric, or close it away in a cabinet.