Bedroom feng shui: the feelings behind the old rules

You may have noticedAfter lying down, it feels a bit exposed behind you.

Tradition saysTradition says the head of the bed should have a "mountain" behind it: a solid wall for support.

Research saysProspect–refuge theory says people prefer spots with cover behind them and a view ahead. Field observations of seat choice show the same tendency, though it's only one factor among several.

Try this todayMove the headboard against a solid wall. If you can't, use a taller, solid headboard.

Source · Psathiti & Sailer, Space Syntax Symposium 11

You may have noticedIf activity or views through the doorway bother you, review privacy and circulation.

Tradition saysSome feng shui traditions advise against a bed facing a door. Interpretations vary; this is a cultural view.

Research saysThe cited study observed seating choices in lounges. It did not test bed orientation or sleep outcomes, so it is only indirect evidence here.

Try this todayCheck whether the doorway view actually bothers you. If you want a change, try bed positions in the planner while keeping the door and nighttime route clear.

Source · Psathiti & Sailer, Space Syntax Symposium 11

You may have noticedSomeone walking in makes you jump.

Tradition saysTradition advises against sleeping with your back to the door.

Research saysWhen people placed a bed on a floor plan themselves, most chose a spot where they could see the door while lying down (Spörrle & Stich 2010); a 2023 replication in France and Slovakia found the same. Without a view of the door, we stay more alert to movement behind us.

Try this todayTurn the bed so you can see the door from the corner of your eye. If you can't yet, hang a soft chime on the door so you hear someone coming.

Source · Bonin et al. 2023, Evolutionary Psychological Science 9(4) (replication of Spörrle & Stich 2010)

You may have noticedLooking up from bed, it feels like something is pressing down.

Tradition saysTradition calls this a "beam pressing on the head."

Research saysHigh ceilings make people think of freedom and low ones of confinement. A beam lowers the ceiling right overhead, which can feel oppressive.

Try this todayMove the bed out from under the beam. If you can't, that's fine: paint the beam the same color as the ceiling and it will feel much lighter.

Source · Meyers-Levy & Zhu 2007, Journal of Consumer Research

You may have noticedNow and then you glance at what's above your head.

Tradition saysTradition also warns against hanging heavy things over the bed.

Research saysThis is safety common sense. If a hook loosens or there's an earthquake, heavy things overhead are a real hazard.

Try this todaySwap a heavy frame for a light fabric print, or take it down. Keep only light things in overhead cabinets.

You may have noticedFlushing or pipes wake you up at night, or you notice smells.

Tradition saysTradition says a bed shouldn't lean against or face a toilet.

Research saysCommon sense: noise and smells both disturb sleep.

Try this todayClose the bathroom door at night. Leave a few centimeters between the headboard and that wall, or use an upholstered headboard.

You may have noticedWhen one of you gets up at night, the other wakes too.

Tradition saysTradition favors a symmetrical double bed with a nightstand on each side.

Research saysErgonomics common sense: about 60 cm of clearance beside a bed is the usual recommendation.

Try this todayPull the bed away from the wall so both sides have room to walk.

You may have noticedYou know there's a pile under there, but never find time to sort it.

Tradition saysTradition says the space under a bed should be open and airy.

Research saysFeeling that home is "unfinished" is linked to stress (see "Clutter is the first thing you see"). Packed space under a bed also gathers dust.

Try this todayKeep only soft, sleep-related things there, like spare bedding, and clear out the rest.

Source · Saxbe & Repetti 2010, PSPB 36(1)

You may have noticedYou wake at night, catch a movement in the mirror and get a fright.

Tradition saysTradition says a mirror shouldn't face the bed.

Research saysWe haven't found direct research. But many people have been startled by a reflection at night.

Try this todayCover it with a cloth at night, or move the mirror to the inside of a wardrobe door.

You may have noticedWhen car headlights sweep past, reflections flash around the room.

Tradition saysTradition says a bedroom should be calm, without much glare.

Research saysWe haven't found direct research. For how light at night affects sleep, see "The room isn't dark enough."

Try this todayBlackout curtains solve most reflection problems.

You may have noticedYou sleep for hours but never feel fully rested.

Tradition saysTradition says a bedroom should be dark and sheltered.

Research saysOrdinary room light during usual sleep hours suppressed melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep, by more than half (Gooley et al. 2011).

Try this todayUse blackout curtains, tape over standby lights, and try an eye mask if you like a light on.

Source · Gooley et al. 2011, J Clin Endocrinol Metab

You may have noticedYou meant to scroll for a minute and ended up wide awake.

Tradition saysTradition says to rest when the sun goes down and keep the evening quiet.

Research saysPeople who read on a light-emitting e-reader before bed fell asleep more slowly, had lower evening melatonin and were less alert the next morning than those reading a printed book (Chang et al. 2015).

Try this todayCharge your phone out of reach, and switch to a paper book for the last half hour.

Source · Chang et al. 2015, PNAS 112(4)

You may have noticedYou only start feeling sleepy after the big light goes off, and it takes a while.

Tradition saysTradition says evenings should wind down and grow dim.

Research saysRoom light before bed delayed the start of melatonin and shortened it by about 90 minutes (Gooley et al. 2011).

Try this todayAdd a warm, low lamp and use only that for the last hour before bed.

Source · Gooley et al. 2011, J Clin Endocrinol Metab

You may have noticedTraffic or voices wake you in the night.

Tradition saysTradition says a bedroom should be quiet and sheltered.

Research saysThe World Health Organization recommends night noise outside homes stay at or below 40 dB to protect sleep and health.

Try this todayMove the bed to the side farther from the street window, use heavier curtains, or try earplugs.

Source · WHO, Night noise guidelines for Europe

You may have noticedYou wake with a heavy head, and the room feels stale when you open the door.

Tradition saysTradition says air should flow, not stagnate.

Research saysIn a Danish dormitory study, the better-ventilated week had lower CO₂, better sleep efficiency and more alertness the next day. Only 16 people took part.

Try this todayAir the room for 10 minutes before bed. If it's safe, leave a window open a crack or the door ajar.

Source · Strøm-Tejsen et al. 2014, ROOMVENT

You may have noticedOpening the door makes you tired, as if there's still work to do.

Tradition saysTradition says clutter blocks the flow of energy.

Research saysIn a family study, wives who used more words like "cluttered" and "unfinished" to describe their homes had a slower drop in stress hormones through the day and worse moods (Saxbe & Repetti 2010). It's a correlation, not proof of cause.

Try this todayClear just the area you see from the door: 15 minutes. Add a lidded basket for things without a home yet.

Source · Saxbe & Repetti 2010, PSPB 36(1)

You may have noticedReaching for water at night knocks things over.

Tradition saysTradition says clutter blocks the flow of energy.

Research saysSee "Clutter is the first thing you see": the feeling of an unfinished home is linked to stress.

Try this todayKeep three things on the nightstand: a lamp, water and a book.

Source · Saxbe & Repetti 2010, PSPB 36(1)

You may have noticedYou have to turn sideways every time you get clothes out.

Tradition saysTradition says doors and cabinets should open and close smoothly.

Research saysErgonomics common sense: leave the width of the door plus room to stand in front of a hinged wardrobe.

Try this todayMove whatever is in the way. If it's simply too tight, consider sliding doors next time.

You may have noticedThat corner feels like it's "poking" at you, and you've bumped it at night.

Tradition saysTradition calls this a "piercing corner" and advises against it.

Research saysThe same object was liked less with a sharp outline than a curved one; the researchers suggest sharp angles signal threat (Bar & Neta 2006, a lab study with pictures).

Try this todayAngle the furniture differently, or add a rounded corner guard, which also prevents bumps.

Source · Bar & Neta 2006, Psychological Science 17(8)

You may have noticedThe room is tidy, but it feels a bit lifeless.

Tradition saysTradition says plants bring living energy.

Research saysYoung adults who repotted a plant had lower diastolic blood pressure and less stress-related nerve activity than after a computer task, and felt more comfortable (Lee et al. 2015, small sample).

Try this todayPut one easy plant, like a pothos, at eye level.

Source · Lee et al. 2015, J Physiol Anthropol

You may have noticedWatering, drip trays and tiny flies are getting annoying.

Tradition saysTradition says a bedroom should have only a few plants.

Research saysWe haven't found direct research. But lots of potting soil does commonly bring damp and small insects.

Try this todayKeep one or two favorites and move the rest to the living room or balcony.

You may have noticedAs soon as you lie down, your mind starts on work.

Tradition saysTradition says the bedroom is for rest.

Research saysThe American Academy of Sleep Medicine's insomnia guideline includes a recommended method of using the bed only for sleep, so the body relearns the link between bed and falling asleep.

Try this todayMove work off the bed, even to a small table. For long-term insomnia, see a doctor.

Source · Edinger et al. 2021, AASM clinical practice guideline, J Clin Sleep Med 17(2)

You may have noticedWhen you're focused, someone coming in behind you makes you jump.

Tradition saysTradition says a seat should have a wall behind it and a view of the door.

Research saysSame as "The headboard isn't against a solid wall": people relax more with support behind and a view of the entrance.

Try this todayTurn the desk 90 degrees so it's side-on to the door. If you can't, a small mirror on the desk lets you see behind you.

Source · Psathiti & Sailer, Space Syntax Symposium 11

You may have noticedYou meant to watch one episode and it's suddenly midnight.

Tradition saysTradition says a bedroom should be quiet.

Research saysSee "Long screen time in bed" for how screens before bed affect sleep; a TV is farther away, but the idea is similar.

Try this todaySet a "TV off" time and use the sleep timer.

Source · Chang et al. 2015, PNAS 112(4)

You may have noticedYou always have to squeeze or go around to get in and out.

Tradition saysTradition says paths should flow without twists and obstacles.

Research saysErgonomics common sense: main paths are usually about 80 cm wide, and at least 60 cm.

Try this todayMove stools and boxes out of the path to the walls.

You may have noticedWalking to the bathroom in the dark, you've kicked things.

Tradition saysTradition says paths should be level and clear.

Research saysSafety common sense: poor night lighting and things on the floor are common causes of falls at home, especially for older people.

Try this todayAdd one or two low motion-sensor night lights that don't shine on the bed, and run cables along the wall.

You may have noticedThe door only opens halfway, so you squeeze through.

Tradition saysTradition says doors should open and close smoothly.

Research saysThis is common sense.

Try this todayMove the furniture behind the door a little and add a door stop.

You may have noticedTo let air in, you have to move the desk first.

Tradition saysTradition sees windows as the room's "breath" and says not to block them.

Research saysFor why ventilation matters, see "Doors and windows shut all night"; a window is also one way out in an emergency.

Try this todayLeave a step of clear space in front of the window so you can reach it easily.