Quality sleep is essential to health, but can be hard to get—so why not try a little bedroom feng shui? How you set up the room where you sleep can determine whether you catch enough zzz's, or toss and turn. That's according to feng shui expert Jayme Barrett anyway. She's the author of Feng Shui Your Life (the first edition was such a hot seller that a second one was just released), and these are her best bedroom feng shui tips:
- Position the bed properly. Ideally you should place your bed with its back to a wall (not a window) with a view of the door. "You'll feel protected and relaxed if you can see the door from your bed," says Barrett. "But placing it under a window can cause interrupted sleep, because energy moves in and out of windows."
- Use a "clean" mattress and soft bedding. "If you've had a long illness in your bed or are still hanging on to a mattress you slept on with your ex, it's time to get a new one," says Barrett. "Mattresses hold energy and it's important to sleep with healthy, healing and loving energy." Soft, cozy sheets make a huge difference too, she adds.
- Use the best bedroom colors. Shades of blue, light green, lavender, peach, pink and neutrals are the best colors for the bedroom because they're soothing and can help you calm down at night.
- Cue mood lighting. Get dimmers for your bedroom lights, and dim them an hour or two before bedtime. "This helps your inner clock move toward sleep," she says. "Candles are also a soothing way to calm the spirit before bed."
- Move (or mask) electronics. "You'll want to avoid gadgets, big and small, that send out powerful electromagnetic energy causing many sleep and health issues," says Barrett. "The bedroom is the place for sleep and sex, not work or exercise." She suggests you move the TV, treadmill, answering machine, computer and even the digital clocks to another room. "But if you can't live without them there, enclose the TV in an armoire and cover the treadmill or computer with silk fabric, and unplug them too." she adds. Even better? Add a peace lily plant to absorb some of the electrical energy.
- De-clutter and eliminate stimulants. "Clear all clutter from your bedroom and from under your bed," says Barrett, "especially all work-related projects, bills, and files." This helps free your mind from the stressed of the day. "An abundance of books can be too stimulating as well," she says. "Relocate bookshelves to another room and select a few that you are currently reading for your nightstand."
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