4 Ways to Use Feng Shui for a Better Night’s Sleep, According to an Expert

Surely, you’ve heard phrases like “sleep on it” or “sleep it off,” and there’s good reason for them. Quality sleep is essential for your brain and body’s wellbeing. It flushes out brain waste, helps you process information from the day, and restores your vitality. 

Buuut, as we all know, there’s a lot that can prevent a restful night of Zs. From noisy neighbors and pandemic stress to ruminating over that awkward joke you made in the Zoom meeting that didn’t quite land, your restless nights may be attributed to something you haven’t yet considered: your bedroom’s environment. 

As you clean or re-arrange your bedroom, you can use Feng Shui to help get yourself in a relaxed state. Here’s how a few adjustments to your space can affect your flow, and your peace of mind, according to a Feng Shui Master.

You may know Feng Shui as an interior design buzzword, but contrary to popular belief, it isn’t an interior design concept at all. It’s an ancient Chinese philosophy of arranging your space in harmony for good energy to flow. By optimizing Qi (energy) patterns through spatial design and planning, you can improve your wellbeing.

According to Jen Stone, an IFSA Feng Shui Master and the founder of the Feng Shui Journal, most Feng Shui tips out there cover simplified Form School techniques, which involve tangible or visible things such as furniture, decors, and colors, hence people mistaking Feng Shui for interior design. While this does have an impact on Qi flow, a focus on these elements can result in people overlooking Compass School techniques, which include the abstract influence of energy relating to time and direction. 

The bedroom is one of the most sacred spaces in the home, according to classical Feng Shui, and people are more susceptible to the influence of energies when they’re in a slumber state. Given that you spend about a third of your life asleep, your body needs a sanctuary to recover so your mind can rest — which is why the Feng Shui of your bedroom can make all the difference for quality sleep.

“Feng Shui is a technique applied to support the energy of the mind and body,” Stone says. “While sleeping, the body enters its most vulnerable state so that rest, restoration, and healing can take place. For that reason, [the bedroom] directly impacts the health and harmony of the person.” 

In fact, she says that negative energy can wreak havoc on your sleep and overall health, both in the present and long-term. Stone adds that this can manifest as minor sleep disturbances like vivid dreams and waking up in the middle night.

In order to drift into dreamland with ease, there are a few rules of thumbs for optimal energy flow. Below are a few tips that Stone recommends keeping in mind when it comes to your bedroom’s design. These employ Form School recommendations, which emphasizes protection and the best configuration for energy to flow throughout your space. It also uses Compass School theory, which takes time into consideration given energy is fluid and ever-changing. 

If your bed is currently placed against a window, or even in the middle of your room, it might be time to change it up. According to Stone, placing your bed in a commanding position against a solid wall allows for the movement of Qi to ensure a good night’s sleep. Having the support of a wall also offers protection and shelter against the elements coming from a window. If you’re in a small space and placing your bed against the window is your only option, use a high headboard or heavy curtains to shield yourself from any intruding energy coming in from the window.

According to Stone, this can create chaotic energy flow that affects the head, leading to sleep disruption. You do, however, want to have a view of the entrance door without being in line with it, which may generate a sense of security and protection. If your only option is to place your bed in line with the doorway, don’t fret — you can try to place something like a nightstand in between the bed and door as a buffer to break up the flow of energy.

Mirrors open up your space and make it look brighter and more inviting, but having it in the right place in your bedroom is crucial for good Feng Shui. “Because the body is vulnerable at night and the mirror is an activating object, the placement of the mirror can disrupt sleep as if one was working instead of resting. Therefore, ensure any large mirrors in the bedroom do not point directly toward the bed,” Stone says.

The Five Elements in classical Feng Shui are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. These should align with the Flying Star or natal chart of the bedroom, which depends on the year the property was built and the compass direction it faces. Do a little digging on the history of your building if you don’t already know, and use a compass to get the direction that your entrance faces. After doing so, you can calculate your Flying Star here to understand the balancing Elements needed in your bedroom. (While you’re at it, you may be curious to know your birth element here.) 

For colors associated with the elements, use:

• Blue and green for Wood
• Red, orange, or pink for Fire
• Earth-toned and brown for Earth
• Black for Water
• White, silver, or light pastel for Metal

Whether that’s painting your walls, changing up your bedspread, hanging plants, or integrating unique objects, there are many ways to play around with color in your room. Fusing the elements into your space can help bring in energy conducive for prosperity while blocking any bad energy that might inspire misfortune. And by doing so, you’ll feel that much more prepared for a good night’s sleep.