I’m not a great sleeper. I never have been, even when I was a baby. I think I really just like being awake more than asleep. Obviously this has caused me some trouble over the years, from being the only one up at a sleepover party in the second grade (my first all-nighter, y’all!) to struggling to catch the morning bus to work post-college. All of this is to say that I am no stranger to looking for solutions to the very real struggle of wanting to get into bed and fall asleep. And there is some sound advice out there. But a lot of it pales in comparison to what feng shui, a thousands year old practice, has to say on the topic. Which (as you can imagine) is a lot! So whether you’re looking to take an afternoon nap, get a good night’s sleep, or connect with your partner, read on for steps you can take to ensure that your bedroom is in line with the best feng shui practices.
Position Your Bed Properly
For the best bedroom feng shui, beds should be placed against a solid wall or a solid wall substitute. This creates strong, protective energy around your bed, helps you to feel supported and safe while you sleep, and gives your bed greater ability to create and hold good energy. It’s never a great idea to place your bed at an angle (you don’t want to feel off-balance waking up in the morning) or in front of a corner, as energy can get trapped and stuck behind the bed and become stagnant.
It’s important that when you’re lying in bed, you’re facing the entrance to the room but are not in direct line with it; otherwise, you’ll feel like you’re lying in a grave (this is literally referred to as the “coffin position”).
The bed should be placed as far away from the entrance as possible. This puts you in a power position because then you have the most time to react to anything coming through the door. You'll feel safer in bed, which will help you relax.
In feng shui, we believe that negative energy is generated in the bathroom. Think about it: waste water is created in the bathroom, and from here, it flows out of the house. The trick is to do as much as you can to prevent any positive energy from flowing out of the house along with the negative energy. Therefore, try to avoid placing your bed against a bathroom wall or in line with an open bathroom door. It's harder for positive energy to get sucked out of the room this way.
It’s also important to make sure that you can get in and out of your bed easily from both sides, as this helps to make sure energy is flowing freely and easily around your bed.
Avoid placing your bed directly under a low ceiling, a ceiling fan, a beam, or another potentially threatening object. This may make you feel under attack or dwarfed while you’re trying to sleep.
Make sure your bed isn’t facing a mirror and that you can’t see yourself in a mirror when in bed. This can be very jarring when you wake up in the morning or if you happen to get up in the middle of the night.
Get Rid of the Clutter
Keep things neat, picked up, and put away in the bedroom. Clutter is a distraction in the bedroom. It can be unnerving and may be unconsciously breeding agitation, making it harder for you to relax. (Have trouble knowing what to keep and what to get rid of? Check out 5 Simple Ways to Clear Out the Clutter!)
Make sure to clear out clutter from underneath your bed, behind doors, or in the corners. It’s perfectly ok to store bed linens, blankets, and pillows under your bed, but it’s not a good idea to keep souvenirs, electronics, books, clothing, or anything else you’re just "not interested in dealing with right now" under there. And it's important to have at least one corner of your room clear of furniture and belongings. Having these areas clean helps keep healthy energy circulating and prevents negative influences from creeping in and finding a home in a neglected area. You'll also feel lighter and calmer with less stuff clogging your space.
Another fun fact about me is that I love working in bed. There’s nothing better than bringing my laptop into bed with me and working away sprawled out under my comforter (maybe some of you are like this too!). So to make sure that I don’t associate work with my bed, which is supposed to be all about rest, I always clean up my room when I’m done working. I remove my laptop and work items, and I never store them permanently in my bedroom (more about this below). I also like to have a little buffer time (2-3 hours) between when I’m done working and when I might want to get into bed. This helps to clear my mind and reset my focus. Sometimes I open the window and let in fresh air or fluff my blanket and pillows, which can help to clear the work energy from the area.
Create a Zen Space
Keep electronics, work items, and exercise equipment out of the bedroom. I know, this is a tough one, but these items are SUCH a distraction – you can easily get lured into checking email one more time or watching another episode on Netflix. And who wants a constant reminder that you're not working out enough? These objects don’t encourage rest or peacefulness in the bedroom.
Make sure you have good airflow in your bedroom. This helps air out a space, unclog our breathing passages, and ground us to nature. If you can’t have your windows open because of the weather or air pollutants, consider investing in an air purifier. Fresh air is an important element to increasing positive energy flow in a room.
Is it dark enough in your bedroom for you to fall asleep? Light coming in from outside, from an alarm clock, or even from a smoke detector can distract and excite us and trick our brains into thinking it’s daytime. Cover your windows with shades or curtains, find an alarm clock that doesn’t give off light, and cover all power lights with black electrical tape to help you get into sleep mode.
Infuse your space with colors and artwork that are conducive to relaxing. Colors and images that calm and soothe you are appropriate for the bedroom. Avoid using bright reds, yellows, and oranges and instead lean towards purples, blues, and terra cotta. Artwork should promote wavy lines and muted tones; sharp or exciting lines, images, and shapes can be unsettling. Keep in mind also that dark-colored sheets and linens help invite intimacy, while lighter colored sheets will help you get out of bed in the morning.
Taking these steps can help you transform your bedroom from a place you avoid to one that you cannot wait to lie down in!