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Key Takeaways
Go for a solid wood headboard and frame. It supports your energy and cuts down on interference from wireless signals.
Keep mirrors from facing the bed; they stir up active Yang energy, which works against the restful Yin energy you want for sleep.
Push the bed against a solid wall where you can see the door, but not directly in line with it.
Let’s be honest: when sleep won’t come, there’s almost nothing you won’t try. Cooler thermostat, new mattress, blackout curtains, the works. But tweaking your bed’s feng shui might be one of the easier fixes on that list.
What Is Feng Shui?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese philosophy built around arranging your space to stay in balance with the natural world. It’s not only about how a room looks or what you put in it, though. Part of it is emotional, too: lining up your intentions with how you actually feel, and letting yourself sense the energy of the room.
Below are 10 dos and don’ts for a better-feeling bedroom, including the one accessory worth leaving out entirely for maximum rest.
01 Do Position Your Bed Against a Wall
Set the bed against a solid wall. Psychologically, it gives you a sense of support and protection. Arrange it so you’ve got a clear view of the doorway, but don’t line it up dead-on with the door. When the bed sits directly in the door’s path, energy moves through too fast, which can feel unsettling and throw off your sleep.
02 Do Opt for a Wood Headboard (or Bed Frame)
Your headboard and frame matter more than you’d think. Go with solid wood. It’s a staple of Western feng shui, where wood stands for the support your body and energy need while you sleep.
So what’s wrong with metal? From a building-biology angle, metal frames and box springs can amplify and distort the earth’s natural magnetic field. Wood doesn’t conduct, so it helps keep radio-frequency signals from your phone, laptop, and TV from pushing into your personal energy field.
03 Do Unplug
Try to get the EMF-emitting gadgets out of the bedroom entirely. Leaving them running while you sleep is said to interfere with your circadian rhythm, and that goes double for kids and teens. Easy habit to build, switch off the Wi-Fi before bed to cut down on radio-frequency pollution.
04 Do Decorate in Twos
Pairs are calming. Two nightstands, one on each side of the bed, are the go-to; they stand for balance and equality. If your layout can’t fit two, a single side table is perfectly fine.
And even when space is tight, resist stashing things under the bed. Energy is said to expand in every direction while you sleep, when your “third eye” wakes up and your higher consciousness is wide open.
05 Do Channel Positive Vibes through Decor
For accessories, pick things you actually love. That’s what lifts the energy of the room. Accent pillows, a throw, a good comforter all shape the mood through their colors, patterns, and textures. What you choose depends on the feeling you’re going for and what’s already in the room. Trust your gut and go with textiles that make you happy.
06 Don’t Position Your Bed Under Heavy Objects or Sharp Angles
Look up. Is there a ceiling fan, exposed beams, a skylight, or a slanted ceiling above your bed? Any of those can sap your energy, what feng shui calls Sha energy, and weigh on your sleep. If you’ve got one overhead, try not to sleep directly beneath it.
07 Don’t Hang a Mirror
The number-one bedroom don’t? A mirror. In feng shui, mirrors are an activation cure. They stir up Yang energy, which is all movement, and in the bedroom you mostly want Yin: rest.
There are exceptions. If you really want a mirror in there, just keep it from facing the bed directly. Angle it toward a window instead, where it can pull more daylight into the room.
08 Don’t Allow Clutter
Clear out what you don’t need. Holding onto objects from your past or present that don’t carry good memories or good energy is said to seep into your aura, your dreams, your moods, and your thoughts, all under the surface. Beyond just keeping things tidy, be choosy about what you bring in. Every decorative piece plays a part in how the room feels.
09 Don’t Add Water
Water is tied to financial luck in Chinese culture, but it doesn’t belong in the bedroom, not as a fountain or fish tank, and not as water-themed art or photos either. Its chi is powerful and active, and that cuts against the calm a bedroom is meant to have. Water also puts out fire, which isn’t great news for libido or passion.
10 Don’t Choose Just Any Color Scheme
By feng shui logic, your colors should relate to the Bagua, the energy map of the home. Each zone has its own energetic needs, and meeting them keeps your physical, spiritual, and psychological selves in harmony. No time to map any of that? Earth and skin tones are a safe bet: ivory, peach, coral, chocolate, plus calming shades like soft blue and pale green.
RELATED: How to Choose Feng Shui Bedroom Colors Using the Five Elements