Where it is better to sleep with your head on the sides of the world: the rules of feng shui and recommendations of a doctor-somnologist

The quality of sleep plays a key role in a person’s overall physical and psychological well-being. People often wonder whether the orientation of the head to the sides of the world is important during a night’s rest. Let’s look at ancient practices and also explain the scientific approach to this question.

Does it really matter which side of the world to sleep in?

Innholdsfortegnelse

How to sleep correctly according to Feng Shui

The ancient Chinese tradition of Feng Shui considers the bed to be the most important piece of furniture in the house. According to this practice, the right direction to sleep can promote harmony, increased energy levels and even success in life.

Head to the north and feet to the south is the most favorable position for sleeping, according to Feng Shui proponents. Meanwhile, when choosing a position, you should also take into account your personal Gua number, which depends on your date of birth and gender. But we will not dwell on this, as there is no scientific confirmation of this.

No less important according to Chinese practice is the location of the bed in the bedroom. Thus, its proponents recommend placing the bed in a “commanding position” – so that you can see the door, but at the same time not lying directly opposite it.

A good practical bedroom rule of thumb is to position the bed diagonally away from the door.

The headboard of the bed, as Feng Shui says, should rest securely against a solid wall. Windows behind the headboard should be avoided if possible.

It is also not recommended to place the bed with one side facing the wall. For adults, it is best to place the bed so that there is free space on both sides.

How to sleep properly according to Vastu Shastra

This is a traditional Hindu system of architectural planning and design (you can say Feng Shui in the Indian way). The best direction to sleep, according to Vastu Shastra, is head south. This is due to the magnetic poles.

The magnetic field of the Earth, as the teachings say, affects people, who are also considered as magnetic bodies, with the north pole of the magnetic field of a person located in the head area. That is why in Vastu Shastra it is not recommended to sleep with the head facing north, because two identical poles repel each other. This, in turn, can disrupt sleep and worsen well-being.

It is worth noting that ancient practices such as Feng Shui and Vastu Shastra emphasize the importance of sleeping in the right direction, but their scientific validity remains a matter of debate.

What does the science say?

Sleep physician, professor, M.D.

“The people of Bali sleep with their heads facing the highest mountain, Gunung Agung. Followers of Feng Shui, wishing to qualitatively rest, lie down with their heads to the north… Religious and esoteric ideas about the “correct” position of the body in sleep, of course, have no scientific basis.”

No serious evidence-based work is available at this time. None of the clinical guidelines provide any information on the “best position for sleeping on the sides of the world.”

A pragmatic approach works best with respect to this issue. The position of your head (and indeed your whole body) should be such that you are not disturbed:

light from under the door, from street lamps or early dawn (however, this problem is solved by buying blackout curtains);
drafts from the window (good plastic windows will fix this);
heat from a radiator or heater;
it is also believed that people feel psychologically safer if they can see the door from their sleeping position.

The best body position in bed is one that provides a healthy position for the spine.

The ideal sleeping position will depend on your health, but scientifically it is best to sleep on your side or back. In these positions, it is easier to maintain and keep the spine balanced, which reduces pressure on the spine and allows the muscles to relax and recover.

So how to improve the quality of sleep?

More than half of Russians are dissatisfied with their sleep, notes the doctor-somnologist. The reason for this is mostly not any clinical sleep disorders (i.e. diseases), but reversible disorders. In such cases, you can make minor adjustments to your lifestyle, which will significantly improve the quality of sleep.

Roman Buzunov shared important recommendations that will help to achieve significant results.

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
On weekends, wake up no more than two hours later than usual rise on weekdays.
Cut out caffeine eight hours before bedtime. Remember that it is not only coffee, but also tea, cocoa and chocolate.
Engage in regular aerobic exercise – ideally 4-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes. Running, swimming, Nordic stick exercises and other types of cardio exercises are great for this. It is a known fact that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to lethargy and lack of energy in the morning.
Limit your use of gadgets for entertainment purposes to one hour a day.
Eat dinner 3-4 hours before bedtime. The caloric content of dinner should be no more than 20% of the daily allowance.
Spend the last two hours before bedtime calmly: without physical, intellectual and emotional strain.
One hour before bedtime, put away gadgets and refuse to watch TV.
Sleep in a dark, quiet, ventilated bedroom on a comfortable bed.

After 2-4 weeks of following these recommendations, there will be a noticeable improvement in sleep.