Do you sleep peacefully all night long, waking refreshed and ready for the day? Many of my Clients report this is not the case for them, so we pay special attention to their bedroom. There always seems to be multiple Feng Shui adjustments that can be made there, so let’s begin by focusing specifically on the bed.
The primary function of the bedroom is rest and rejuvenation, and the bed is our partner for getting that done. A blissful night’s sleep is a wonderful thing. Waking feeling restored and refreshed expresses a vibrant level of personal vital Ch’i energy.
Feng Shui is about building and balancing Ch’i within our spaces so we are the most fully supported and alive that we can be. Since almost a third of our time in spent in bed, it is a major player in helping us have the energy, and life, we want.
If you don’t get the quality and quantity of sleep you desire, read on. Let’s delve into the specifics of great Feng Shui for your bed.
Bed Feng Shui Tip #1: Place the Bed in the Power Position
Given the bed’s importance in our lives, it needs to be placed so that it provides maximum comfort, safety and flow. This translates to the Feng Shui Power Position.
When you are lying down in the bed, it is in the Feng Shui Power Position when:
- You see the door but are not in direct line with the door
- There is a solid wall behind your head
This is often when my Clients start asking nervous questions like, “What if I slept at an angle?” or “Is it OK to just look over my shoulder to see the door?” Sorry, tying yourself into a pretzel to see the door when the bed is not in a great position will likely only make you more uncomfortable. Let’s take a look at the diagram below that shows beds placed in the Power Position.
Please don’t start fretting. I totally understand that most architects do not design with this Feng Shui ideal in mind. Do the best you can with what you have.
Get the bed as close as you can to this placement. If it is absolutely impossible, and it has to be on the same wall as the entrance door, there is a Feng Shui adjustment I can recommend. Place a mirror so that, when lying in bed, you get a view of the door in the mirror.
Often finding a solid wall on which to place the head of the bed can be tricky as well. When windows must be behind the bed, create the illusion of a solid wall by covering as much of the wall and windows with curtains or other coverings (like a folding screen) as possible. A long drapery rod with curtains allows for light to come in during the day and then the “solid wall” to be created at night.
Sometimes there are windows high above the bed. It is still important to cover these as Ch’i does exit out through the windows. This could create a constant subtle flow over the bed toward the windows which might disturb certain sleepers.
Bed Feng Shui Tip #2: Note What is in Line with the Bed
The same energy escaping dilemma described above occurs with the other doors and windows in the room.
If you sleep with the bedroom door open, close it. Ch’i can come barreling down a hallway and right into the bedroom. Condensed energy from a crowded closet or draining Ch’i escaping through an ensuite bathroom opening can easily create an unbalanced energy flow.
Next shift to the exterior walls. Again, consideration should be given to the windows, especially large floor to ceiling models or exterior glass doors. When the window or door lines up in some way with the bed, it may be causing a disruption. At night, cover them with shades or curtains to modify the Ch’i flow.
I have had multiple clients report improved sleep with closed doors or covered windows. Check out your situation and experiment. Make some changes and see what results they bring.
Bed Feng Shui Tip #3: Have a Headboard
Having a headboard adds another layer of comfort as well as an additional symbolic layer of support.
That being said, there are some headboards out there these days that can be anything but comfortable. For me, comfort translates to:
- No hard edges or protrusions
- Constructed of a soft or solid material
- A height that allows you to sit up comfortably but low enough to feel it isn’t looming over you
- Adequately and securely fastened
Headboards with shelving, lighting or other unusual features may create Ch’i that is too active for some sleepers. You decide based upon your own reaction.
Bed Feng Shui Tip #4: Note the Room Behind the Headboard
In Feng Shui, Everything is Connected. This includes the energy of the room adjoining the bedroom. When the headboard is on a wall with a toilet, tub, sink or other drain on the other side, the increased disruption of that feature may influence the sleeper.
If you cannot move the bed from that wall, add a headboard with more depth than normal. Extra padding or some other feature that moves the headboard away from the wall can provide extra protection.
This Feng Shui adjustment would also be recommended if the bed adjoined a kitchen stove, kitchen sink or other appliance, a washer or dryer or even internet or cable equipment.
Bed Feng Shui Tip #5: Look Overhead
In Feng Shui, everything is important. This is especially so with your bed, the place you spend so much time. That’s why I check over the bed as well. Lie down and look up to assess what may be happening above you each night when you sleep.
Beams can accelerate energy flow. Modify by adding fabric or some other softening accessory like a string. You may also paint the beams the same color as the ceiling to reduce their impact.
An overly tall or cathedral ceiling may feel uncomfortable to some folks in this most Yin room. I suggest hanging all artwork so that the tops of the frames are at the same reasonable, comfortable height. This will visually “draw a line between Heaven and Earth” and create the illusion of a lower ceiling.
When I had a twelve foot ceiling in my bedroom I draped a width of silk over the four poster’s canopy framework. Having that false ceiling felt so much more cozy to me.
A recent trend is to hang a large, decorative chandelier in the bedroom. Often they are situated all or partly over the bed. If the fixture is too visually unstable or heavy looking it could keep the people below unconsciously poised for a mishap.
If you’re a fan of this lighting trend, please choose wisely, and be sure the installation is top notch.
Is your ceiling flat all the way across?
A feature I have discovered since living in Florida half the year is vaulted ceilings. These decorative features extend above the regular ceiling height in various shapes and patterns.
As with beams, Ch’i can rush over the extra angles this feature possesses and upset the person lying below. Soften the edges to allow the energy to roll around rather than shoot downward.
My entire career I have practiced Feng Shui in Maine. It’s most classic form of home architecture is the Cape Cod style house. This configuration allows for a full first floor and a modified second story.
If your bed is in a room with a modified second story, it may lie under a slanted ceiling. In this instance, the wall behind the bed is not at the full ceiling height so the ceiling needs to slope to connect the two.
This slant creates a very extreme energy flow, projecting Ch’i downward. I highly recommend the bed is NOT placed under this slant.
Should the situation make this your only option, place items on either side of the bed that project the Ch’i upwards. Floor lamps, tall plants or art will help to lead the eye, and Ch’i away from the bed.
Bed Feng Shui Tip #6: Use Your Favorite Bed Linens
Yep, I’m back on the Comfort and Safety First bandwagon which then translates to the First Supporting Principle of Feng Shui – Live with What You Love.
A bed that is comfortable has the right weight blanket, sheets with a finish that relaxes you, and a pillow that is just right. Ahhhh, now that helps to make a good night’s sleep.
I always smile at my little grandson who, at three, is all about his bed. When settling down for the night, he needs the special pillow and comforter, his fleece monkey blanket in the front and his soft alligator blanket in back which is then pulled over his ear just right.
This is just the start as he adds the two or three chosen stuffed animals of the day, Lambie (who is a constant) and a book that he’s selected right before he lies down.
Now you’d think he couldn’t move in this pile of must haves, but once he’s in there and all tucked in he’s a great sleeper. You may not need all of these accoutrements, but figuring out if your current setup works for you is worth a second look.
Are you ready to add a few extra Feng Shui touches to the bedroom to improve your experience? Would a mirror behind the bed moderate the adjoining bathroom? Can you cover a window with some beautiful curtains or block a door less opening with a folding screen? Maybe a new headboard could create the support you need. Think of the possibilities!
Let me hear from you on how your bedroom is working for you now and what Feng Shui changes you might try. I wish you all sweet dreams and good Feng Shui.
Have fun,
Carol
