Bedroom Feng Shui

This is a collaborative post

Did you know that your sleeping environment can directly affect the quality of sleep you get? Your bedroom is one of the most important areas in your home for a number of obvious reasons. Fortunately, you don’t have to splurge a fortune chasing away your insomnia. All you need is a keen eye and some bedroom Feng Shui tips to improve your sleep quality.

Simply put, Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese system of natural laws that govern the balancing of energies in any given space. So trying to orient your sleeping area according to these energies (Chi) might help you achieve a deeper and more soothing state of sleep. Here are some of the most popular bedroom Feng Shui tips that will have you sleeping like a newborn.

A) Bedroom Location

Tip #1: Choose Bedrooms at Farthest Ends

Locating your sleeping area at the back end of your house is one of the most obvious Feng Shui tips that also borders common sense. By backend, I mean the rooms that are farthest from the front door and closer to the backyards. That’s because such bedrooms are usually quieter and also less likely to receive human traffic. This means that you are far less likely to be disrupted by sounds and other disturbances as you sleep. Additionally, you’ll receive more privacy since your room is the last place your family members will visit.

Tip #2: Avoid Bedrooms on Garages and Social Places

Many houses in the UK tend to have a bedroom right above the garage. While this is a pretty efficient space-saving design, it also has its flaws. Bedrooms on garages are often disrupted by car exhaust, noise from doors, weird bugs and sweltering temperatures. Other places to avoid include bedrooms above restaurants, clubs, hotels and other active zones. This does not apply to apartments and high rises since the flooring is soundproof and you are probably above someone’s bedroom too.

B) Bed Placement

#3: Place Bed Against a Wall

Ever stretch yourself out to catch some zzz’s in a bus or train? Was your head placed on the aisle or was it rested on the window side? Chances are that it was snug on the window side and that you’ve never dreamed of sleeping with your head on the aisle. Just the thought of someone walking by and bashing your head in could keep you awake. The same applies to your bedroom. Now, while you won’t have passengers and attendants walking around, having your headboard against the wall gives you an extra sense of security. It’s all about basic survival instincts that calls for having your head as safe as possible while sleeping.

Tip #4: Avoid Placing Bed Under Window or Door Wall

Simply put, the window is the gateway between your room and the world. When you sleep with your head under a window, your sleep is more susceptible to disruption from scent, wind, noise, shadows and movement. Sudden noises from birds and animals may unexpectedly jerk you from your sleep. Similarly, resting your bed on the same wall as your door or toilet may not be an excellent choice. Someone else opening or closing the door and flushing the loo will send vibrations that will disrupt your quality of sleep.
Disrupted sleep can have many negative effects including fatigue, lack of focus and a short temper. Sleep deprivation can also cause some people to sleepwalk.

C) Bedroom Ceilings, Furniture and Accessories

Tip #5: Avoid Sloped or Low Ceilings

Think about it; just how comfortable would you be in a room with a very low ceiling? You don’t even have to be claustrophobic to feel the effect, especially when you’re half asleep. This also goes for sloped and slanted ceilings. While very subtle, you tend to get this uneasy and tight feeling of being compressed. If you can’t avoid the low ceilings, you could try another practical Feng Shui tip that involves using a canopy bed and a good mattress. The four pillars play a significant role in making you feel supported.

Tip #6: Remove Overhanging Furniture

How would you really feel if you had to sleep under a bowling ball all night? Chances are that you’ll sleep with one eye open waiting for the big bang on your head. The same translates to a massive chandelier or wall clock the size of a log sitting over your bed. If you sleep with overhanging furniture, you may not feel 100 percent safe and may even feel some discomfort. Maybe set it down or hang it where it wouldn’t hurt anyone even if it fell.

Tip #7: Remove Any Mirrors Facing the Bed

Part of how we survived all these years is by making use of the ability to identify threats through our vision. This instinct makes our eyes very sensitive to motion, even when we’re asleep. If your mirror is facing the bed, any type of reflective motion may wake you up from your sleep, sometimes in a frightened stupor. So try to minimise any reflective surfaces that face your bed directly.

About the Author: Nicky Ellis is an editor at We Sleep Well. She lives in London and loves writing about home improvement projects and all sleep-related things. She is a mum of three who spends all her free time with her family, friends or just sipping her favourite cuppa of Earl Grey.