Why Feng Shui for Your Bedroom Could Give You a Perfect Night’s Sleep
No doubt you have heard of Feng Shui being put into practice to help give people balance and harmony in life. From room layouts to the types of furniture used, Feng Shui can not only help with wellbeing but can also improve the aesthetics of a room too.
A bedroom is seen as the most important room in the house according to Feng Shui principles, perhaps because we spend long periods there in what should be our most relaxed state.
In this blog, we look at Feng Shui and how adjusting your bedroom to match what it teaches, could give you a consistently good night’s sleep and improve your physical and mental wellbeing.
What is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is a Chinese practice that emerged many centuries ago. It translates as “the way of wind and water” and is now embraced by many in the West as well as the Far East.
The basis of Feng Shui is built upon arranging items, spaces and buildings to achieve balance and harmony. This can be achieved by incorporating five elements. Fire, metal, wood, earth and water.
With each element balanced and applied correctly, your bedroom can become a haven of peace, tranquility and positivity. So how does it apply to the bedroom and what should you do?
How Do the Five Elements of Feng Shui Apply to The Bedroom?
How you optimise the elements will be up to you but there are certain dos and don’ts for some of them which we will cover a little later.
Wood: Wood signifies growth and creativity. You can use trees or plants to represent this. However, too many plants are not good Feng Shui so you could include one or two, and then add some green objects to the room.
Earth: Earth represents stability and strength. Brown- or tan-coloured items can help represent this as could rocks, perhaps put with your plants.
Water: Water symbolizes emotion and inspiration; however, water features are seen by many as a no-go. Instead, look for blue items to act as a representation.
Fire: Fire is the ideal bedroom element. It represents passion, energy, boldness and more. Candles or splashes of red to the decor can help to add this element to your bedroom.
Metal: Metal is the element that combines all the others. It brings order and focus to the area. Silver, white or grey objects can help to represent this.
How to Create Feng Shui in Your Bedroom
Many of the aspects of Feng Shui are simple to apply and won’t need you to make grand adjustments or spend vast sums of money. In fact, in most cases, you won’t need to spend any money at all.
Declutter Your Bedroom
Before you move anything, clean and tidy the room to remove any items you no longer need. Pay particular attention to under the bed. Ideally, you want nothing stored under the bed at all. This allows for a free flow of energy while you sleep. Should the bed be needed for storage, make sure it is only for items related to sleeping.
Put Your Bed Into the “commanding Position” and Add a Headboard
You may need to move your bed to get good feng shui. Place it so that when you are sleeping, you face the door but are not directly in line with it. Doors opening up directly in line with the bed mean you are in the “coffin position,” and that is something you want to avoid.
Make sure the headboard is applied to a solid wall, and keep the bed away from being underneath a window if you can. The headboard plays an important role; it signifies stability and support in life. Wood is ideal, but metal bars are not.
Make sure the bed is accessible from both sides and that you face southward when you lie in it. Remember, Feng Shui isn’t just about layout; it’s about you, too!
Use Soft Light
Rather than brighten the room with floods of light from overhead lamps, look to incorporate softer light with table lamps and natural light from windows. A chandelier, for example, would not only send out too much light but it could add to feelings of worry or concern as something is hanging overhead.
Cut Back on Electrical Devices
If you keep your laptop, phone, gaming device, and other devices in your bedroom, you could find sleep hindered. Not only do they provide a huge distraction that affects your sleep, but they emit energy even when not in use—energy that could harm your general health and the flow of energy in the room. If a device must be kept in the room, it should be at least 10 feet from the bed.
Choose Neutral Colours
Too much colour can be distracting and take away from the relaxing atmosphere Feng Shui tries to promote. Look at non-stimulating colours such as beige or earthy tones. Splashes of brighter colours can then be added via bed linen, artwork or crystals. Consider pink, red or white for these.
Neutral colors should be utilized in all aspects of the room. Your bedroom flooring, for example, your wallpaper, and your furniture can all contribute to creating the correct Feng Shui for your bedroom. Just don’t go overboard trying to represent each color of each element.
Don’t Go Overboard on The Plants
Whilst wood energy can be represented by plants, flowers, or small trees, it has been said that too many of them add too much energy to a bedroom. This excess energy then leads to a bad night’s sleep. One or two will be fine, and if you share the room with someone else, consider capping it at two, maybe four at most so the balance and energy are equal.
Make a Symmetrical Layout
Symmetry is a key focus in Feng Shui, even down to the space on either side of the bed. Symmetry allows for balance and, as a result, harmony. If you have a nightstand on one side of the bed, add one to the other. They don’t need to match as such, but they should complement each other well.
Minimise the Number of Books
While old books can be part of the Earth element, too many literary tomes can be bad news! Large bookshelves filled with your favorite reads could give off constrictive energy. Instead, settle for leaving your current book on your nightstand with the rest stored in a different room.
Remove Exercise Equipment
We know using your bedroom as a workout space away from the kids and other distractions may be tempting, but exercise promotes active energy. Your bedroom needs to be a place of calming energy instead. Placing exercise equipment in another area, such as the garage, will stop energy from rising to unsuitable levels.
Consider Your Artwork
Artwork in the bedroom is fine, but you should be careful about what you choose to hang on your walls. Nature and peaceful scenery can help exude the calm while motivating quotes can help you feel empowered. Should it be a bedroom where you want love or romance energy to be noticeable, move family photos into another room.
Keep Water Features for Other Rooms
Water is an element of Feng Shui, but trying to accommodate it by using a water fountain, feature, or even a picture could be a negative experience. In the bedroom, water could be seen to wash away any good fortune. Instead, use these items elsewhere.
Clutter-free and clear
Your bedroom needs to be harmonious, allowing you and any energy to move freely. You can do this by choosing features that allow easy cleaning and storage. Think of smooth edges, clear floors, and easy-to-maintain surfaces.
An LVT floor, for example, can be cleaned easily and represents many elements with its versatile patterns and styles. Smooth edges to tables and other furniture increase the aspect of a gentle, calm flow, and suitable storage reduces the impact of negative energy.
These are a host of the best ways you can add Feng Shui to your bedroom, but you can often find more with the help of a Feng Shui expert.
