Are you struggling to fall asleep at night? Do you struggle to stay asleep? Have you tried every tip for insomnia you could find but still can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep? If so, it’s time to try feng shui for insomnia!
As someone who has struggled with insomnia for a lot of my adult life, I know how it feels to try so many things that don’t work.
And while not every tip for insomnia is going to cure it, I can still bet that one thing you haven’t tried yet is feng shui!
Feng shui is all about creating a home that is the optimal environment to support the health and well-being of you and your family.
Our surroundings greatly impact us – in fact, the safety and security of our home is one of the foundations the rest of our life is built upon.
No matter WHERE you live, it is important that it can support you and your family to feel safe and connected.
So it’s not hard to understand that your home can be a huge piece of the insomnia puzzle if there are things in it that are consciously or unconsciously stressing you out!
Of course, the foundation to good self-care, health, and great sleep is your bedroom.
In Western societies, we tend to neglect the bedroom.
We use it as a catch-all for the things that we don’t know what to do with.
They become storage areas for those things and more.
And since we don’t usually invite people into our bedrooms, they become the last place we really decorate or care for.
But in feng shui, your bedroom is the basis for your health, relaxation, and self-care.
It’s one of the most important rooms in the house! (Click here to learn how to feng shui your bedroom!)
But let’s go through the specifics of what you might have in your bedroom that could be causing insomnia.
feng shui for insomnia – keeping these things in your bedroom can interrupt your sleep!
If you’re keeping these items in your bedroom, they could interrupt your sleep!
books: books and magazines have active energy.
They are speaking to you! If you want to keep books in the bedroom, keep them away from the bed (and in a closed or covered cabinet if possible! Or in a drawer!)
electronics: electronics can transmit energy even if they aren’t plugged in.
It’s best to keep all electronics out of the bedroom.
Obviously, this can be hard for us, so at the very least turn them off at night.
You can also keep them away from the bed or in a closed drawer at night.
If you have to keep a tv in the bedroom, it’s best to cover it or keep it in a cabinet where you can close the door when you’re sleeping.
office equipment/work: again, electronics carry and transmit energy.
Not to mention that if you work in your bedroom, you’re also associating the work and activity with all of the accessories you have in your bedroom.
Most insomnia tips tell you to not be on your phone at night, or not work in your bed because you don’t want to associate your bed with working.
This is one of the reasons why!
Everything you use for work carries work energy.
Even if you’re just doing paperwork in your bedroom, it carries that energy.
If you really must work in your bedroom, make sure you put everything away and out of sight when you’re sleeping.
Create a routine that helps you shut off the work part of your life before you try to fall asleep.
exercise equipment: if you aren’t using it EVER, and it’s become a clothes hanger, it’s time to consider whether or not you’re ever going to use it.
If not, the longer it sits there, the more stagnant energy it’s going to collect.
Not to mention the negative vibes of “oh I really should use that treadmill” or all of the clothes hanging off of it.😉
Exercise equipment carries active energy, so even if you do use it, it’s best not to keep it in the bedroom.
If you must keep it in the bedroom, keep it as neat and tidy as possible.
And consider using a room divider to block it off from the bed.
broken items: has your bedroom become the storage area for all of the items you need to repair or fix?
If so, it’s time to get them out of there because they’re causing broken sleep.
Everything in your home corresponds to some outcome in your life – and broken items can be quite literally breaking your sleep patterns!
Honestly, it’s not great to keep broken items anywhere in your home, but definitely keep them out of your bedroom if possible!
If it’s not possible, I recommend storing them in a box or storage tub to contain their energy.
clutter: Clutter is similar to broken items – it carries the energy of things you have to deal with.
This means every time you look at it, you see an item on your to-do list.
Clutter is usually a result of not having time or not making decisions.
Those thoughts and feelings enter your subconscious every time you see the items, which makes it harder to relax.
Plus clutter everywhere disrupts the energy flow (Chi) of your room and home, which disrupts your entire nervous system and makes it harder to sleep.
toys or other “active” items: If your room has become the toy box, it’s time to put the toys back in their places!
Or if toys must be in your bedroom, find a way to keep them contained while you’re sleeping.
Toys tend to be very active energetically – they are usually meant to cause interaction and creativity and also tend to be made of bright colors.
If you want your bedroom to be a restful sanctuary, the last thing you need is a room full of toys.
items that you associate with negativity: Do you have lots of items in your room that you don’t like or wouldn’t choose to keep there?
Do you have lots of items from past relationships?
Do you have anything that you associate with negative or sad emotions?
Remove those items from your bedroom asap, or modify them in some way that helps you love them!
If your bedroom is full of hand-me-down furniture and you hate it – spruce it up!
Paint it, clean it, and definitely smudge it to get rid of any old energy attached to it.
Refinish it in a color you love.
Do whatever you can to make the best of the furniture or belongings you can’t get rid of or replace.
The point is to make your bedroom YOURS and full of joyful, restful energy.
Don’t keep items in your bedroom that make you sad or carry bad memories.
Old pictures, artwork, or collections:
Take a look at the pictures, artwork, and collections you have displayed in your room.
Do they reflect happy times or sad times?
Do they reflect old relationships?
Do you have lots of active pictures — say pictures of you skiing or running or at a party?
Do you have pictures with lots of people in them?
Is your artwork super bright, colorful, and active?
Artwork and pictures tend to reflect how we felt when we took them or bought them.
And collections can also be very “active.”
Don’t keep all of your Mickey Mouse figurines in your bedroom if you’re having problems sleeping!
You don’t want all of those “eyes” on you.
The same goes for pictures with lots of people.
You don’t need lots of people watching you while you’re sleeping!
(You might even find that your relationship is suffering from all of these things interrupting your relationship!)
Piles of laundry and/or dirty laundry
Laundry can be like clutter and disrupt the flow in your room.
Plus having things piled up can make you feel on high alert constantly with no place to rest.
Dirty laundry also carries dirt, germs, and stagnant energy.
So make it a habit to put your clothes away and keep your dirty laundry in the hamper.
Water features or aquariums
Moving water is active energy.
Moving water can be great in other rooms of your home, but it can be disruptive for sleeping or resting.
Plants
While plants are great for clearing and purifying the air in your room, they can be too active to keep in the bedroom.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, try removing them for a few days and see if it helps!
Sharp corners by your head
In feng shui, sharp corners are called poison arrows.
They cut the energy of whatever they’re pointed at, disrupting flow and causing your body to be on high alert.
If you have a sharp corner (like a wall or nightstand corner) right by your head, you could be subconsciously avoiding it while you’re sleeping.
Try covering your nightstand with a piece of fabric and see if it helps.
If it’s a wall pointing at you, you can place something between you and the wall to cover it while you’re sleeping.
Lots of stuff under your bed
If you can, it’s better to keep the area under your bed clear of clutter and storage.
All of that active energy directly under you while you’re sleeping can be detrimental and cause stress.
Obviously, it’s not always possible to keep the area under your bed clear if you need it for storage.
In that case, just keep it as organized as possible and make sure to take it out every few months and deep clean under the bed.
You don’t want the dirt and dust bunnies to take over and trap the stagnant energy!
Insomnia and feng shui: Other things in your bedroom that can disrupt sleep
Things hanging over the bed
Do you have something hanging over you when you’re sleeping?
A shelf over the bed full of decorative objects?
A chandelier?
A large beam?
Anything that is hovering over you while you’re asleep can cause your body to be on alert.
If it’s a decorative object that’s easily moved, try removing it for a few days and see if it helps.
Beams or architectural items can be dispersed by hanging a crystal from the ceiling over the bed.
Or you can even create a canopy over your bed to help cocoon your energy while you’re sleeping and block the negative vibrations.
Doorways by your head or directly across from the bed
Ideally, your bed should be on a solid wall, across from the entry door so that you can see the door when you’re laying in bed.
This is called the command position in feng shui, and basically means you can see everyone who enters the room so they can’t sneak up behind you.
If your bed has to be directly in front of a door or on the same wall as a door or window, having a headboard can help.
Also, keep any doors around the bed (especially bathroom doors!) closed while you’re sleeping.
Mirrors that reflect the bed and/or ceiling fans directly over the bed
Mirrors bounce energy and ceiling fans stir up the Chi.
Some people aren’t bothered by either, but if you find yourself struggling with insomnia, try turning off the ceiling fan and covering the mirrors.
If you can’t cover the mirror, try to position the bed so it’s not directly in front of it, bouncing energy at you while you’re sleeping.
can feng shui really help you sleep?
Yes! Using feng shui to set your bedroom up for sound sleep can definitely help you sleep better!
Some additional feng shui cures for insomnia are:
Setting your bed up for success.
Have a headboard or solid wall behind the bed.
This is related to the command position we discussed above: having a headboard or solid wall behind the bed helps your nervous system relax, which leads to better sleep.
Optimize your bedding.
Do you love your bedding?
Is it soft and comfortable?
How about your pillow?
Is it comfortable and made for how you like to sleep?
Like most of the things in our bedrooms, bedding can be one of those things we haven’t really thought about often.
But don’t underestimate how amazing bedding can be!
It can go a long way towards helping you get a good night’s sleep.
Really think about how you like to sleep and whether or not your bedding supports it.
If you’re a hot sleeper, maybe you need a light quilt or sheet.
If you are always cold, maybe you need layers of blankets and quilts.
Also consider if you have a partner, that you might need separate bedding!
It’s best to customize your bedding for each of you so that you can both get a good night’s sleep!
Clean and smudge your room.
Giving your bedroom a deep clean and then smudging it to cleanse the energy can also help you feel refreshed and get a better night’s sleep.
This is especially helpful if you’ve done lots of things to cure your insomnia but something still feels “off.”
Click here to learn how to smudge your room!
Place a bowl of salt under your bed.
Salt absorbs negative energy.
If you lay awake at night, stressed about your day and also stressed because you can’t sleep, place a bowl of salt under your bed.
Just a small bowl will work!
Place it there for 30 days and then throw it away.
Give it a chance to get rid of the bad vibes for you and see if it helps you sleep better! (Click here for more ways to cleanse negative energy with salt!)
Add crystals.
Crystals are one of those things that can really change the energy of your room.
The key is to use crystals for relaxation or that absorb and protect from negative energy.
Crystals like amethyst or black tourmaline can help calm you and also calm the energy in your room.
Place them on your nightstand, or even put small tumbles under your pillow!
Try complete darkness.
Blackout curtains, a sleep mask, and making sure there’s absolutely no light in your room can also help calm the energy.
Light represents fire energy, which can be activating and really bother people who are sensitive.
This is why electronics and active artwork or mirrors can also bother sensitive people — fire energy bounces around and activates everything in its vicinity.
You might have tried complete darkness before, but if you didn’t remove all of the other activating energy in your room it didn’t work.
Try it now and see if it helps!
Put your room “to bed” with a nighttime routine.
Create a new nighttime routine for your bedroom that puts both your room and yourself to bed!
The point is to create a nighttime routine that works for YOU, so brainstorm ideas you can use to relax at night before bed.
Some ideas are:
- Put your electronics away (in drawers or in another room)
- Use blue light blockers or turn your electronics on night mode (blocks blue light)
- Turn off the tv and read or listen to relaxing music
- Dim the lights
- Diffuse lavender
- Meditate or use a meditation app
- Create a gratitude list
- Do a brain dump for next day
- Set yourself up for success (so your brain can rest) by laying out clothes or putting together what you need to get going the next morning.
- Put your home “to bed” by turning off all of the lights, making sure the doors and windows are locked, and walk through your home with the gratitude that you’ve made it through another day.
Yes, this takes a bit of planning at first. But you’ll find that, with all of the feng shui for insomnia tips, once you get going it’s a lot easier to KEEP going!
Especially if you’re seeing results!
Why not take one or two of these tips and see how it goes?
Now that you know all of the feng shui for insomnia tips, you might also want to try:
- cleansing negative energy with sea salt – 7 ways to refresh your home and life!
- how to create a feng shui helpful people box to attract help from the Universe!
- how to use feng shui to attract what you really want
- 10 feng shui money tips for manifesting wealth
- 9 easy steps to feng shui your bedroom
