Rebekah Carter
When it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, many of us can struggle to figure out the perfect position for a peaceful slumber. You know that you’re meant to stay in a cool room with minimal distractions, and sleep using a comfortable mattress that doesn’t slide. You also know that you need to avoid stimulants like alcohol and caffeine before sleeping. But how much do you know about sleeping positions, and how your chosen sleeping direction affects your sleep quality?
The idea that sleeping style has an impact on how well a human being can sleep comes from ancient principles of feng shui and Vastu Shastra. While there’s still a lot of research ongoing into these theories, many people swear that certain sleeping styles make a difference. For instance, sleeping facing west, or pointing their head towards the northern hemisphere or southern hemisphere can actually give them a good night of rest and more energy in the morning.
Here’s everything you need to know about bed, body and head direction while sleeping.
The Best Sleep Directions as per Ancient Beliefs
Many rely on ancient practices when determining which sleeping directions ensure deep sleep. People would perform random web searches asking questions like, “Which direction should your bed face?” or “Which direction to sleep Hindu, Feng Shui, and Vastu Shastra?”
Feng shui is a practice taken from China, which indicates that energy and placement in your everyday life can help you achieve different levels of balance. There are also a lot of conversations about the sleeping style which comes from Vastu Shastra. Vastu Shastra is a practice that comes from India, which looks at architectural balance and science.
While both practices have different histories, they both believe that the way that spaces are designed can change the way that your body responds to things. Each practice is also based on the four directions of north, south, east and west, as well as the five major elements in nature.
If you’re wondering which direction to sleep scientifically, it’s worth following the practice of Vastu, as it’s more deeply researched.
Vastu Shastra and Sleeping With Head Facing South
Vastu Shastra is a concept primarily concerned with space, and how it works to affect health and wellness. These principles are commonly used in Indian architecture. When it comes to choosing a sleeping direction, it’s believed that your bedroom interacts with the elements of the earth to affect your wellbeing. Vastu Shastra recommends sleeping with the head pointing south.
On the other hand, a north-to-south position for your body, where you’re sleeping with head facing north is considered to be the worst direction. That’s because the human head is considered to have a kind of polar attraction. It needs to face the south to attract opposite poles during sleep. This has to do with the concept of the magnetic field of the earth, and the northern and southern hemisphere.
Hindus customarily leave corpses waiting for cremation with the head pointing to the north, because that’s the direction that they believe the soul takes when it is leaving the body behind. It’s considered an improper direction for the head to face during sleep, and per Vastu, many believe that sleeping with your head angled north will cause nightmares.
If someone sleeps with their head pointing north, he or she can’t get a good night’s sleep. This is because the north of the ear and the human head are both charged positively; the two magnetic field points play havoc on the mind, There’s more of a chance that you’ll always wake up feeling like you’re not getting enough sleep or suffer from sleep disorders when you sleep with your head pointing north, according to Vastu Shastra.
Which Direction Should We Keep Our Head While Sleeping?
Interestingly, the benefits of Vastu Shastra for managing your sleep position do need more clinical backing, but researchers have noticed positive results from suggesting a night sleeping when your head points south.
Hindus even believe that sleeping with the head pointed to the south will reduce your risk of high blood pressure. On the other hand, if you sleep facing west, you’re more likely to have an unsettled night’s sleep, because you’re in the direction of striving.
If you choose a sleep direction that points your head to the east, then you might get a better night of sleep, particularly if you’re trying to improve your memory. East is the preferred sleep direction for teens as they need to nurture their memory after a day of studying. If you sleep with your head pointing east it’s said to promote meditative sleep.
For the best night of sleep, however, choosing a position that points your head towards the south is intended to promote deeper, heavier sleep of longer duration. Because the south is negatively charged compared to the northern hemisphere, there’s a harmonious attraction between your head and your chosen direction. This way, positive energy won’t be drawn away from you.
Which Direction Is Best to Sleep in According to Feng Shui?
If you’re still not sure which the best direction to sleep in is, then you might want to consider your feng shui bed position. Similar to the Vastu teachings, feng shui is concerned with the space that you sleep in and how it affects your overall sleeping quality. However, this practice is usually focused more on how the elements of your space impact your chi.
Ancient practitioners in the feng shui space also prefer southward energy, because they believe that’s where the warm winds of positive energy come from. Although the principles of the best sleeping direction from feng shui are only anecdotal, they can help a lot of people enjoy a more comfortable night of sleep. Most practitioners in this area will advise placing your bed away from doors and windows to encourage chi flow while you sleep too.
So, which direction should we sleep if we’re in the United Kingdom? Most experts would still recommend sleeping with your head angled towards the south or the east to get the most restful night of sleep. Sleeping with your head directed towards the east could help to encourage better creativity and motivation too.
The Sleeping Facing North Myth
A lot of people think that the best direction to sleep in is with their head directed towards the north. However, sleeping direction Vastu practitioners and feng shui experts both disagree with this concept. They believe that having your head pointed to the northern hemisphere is the worst sleep direction.
The best direction to sleep definitely isn’t with your head facing north if you have any blood-related problems, like anemia. When the body is positioned horizontally, your pulse rate drops, ensuring that too much blood doesn’t go into your head. If you sleep with your head directed towards the north, many people believe that the magnetic pull of this sleeping position will put increased pressure on your brain.
If you’re over a certain age and your blood vessels are particularly weak, then some people think that the northern sleeping position will not only harm your energy levels but also increase your chances of hemorrhages and certain kinds of strokes. You may also find that you wake up feeling more frustrated than you would if your head was pointing to the east.
That’s because there’s more circulation in your brain. Obviously, it’s unlikely that you’re going to drop dead if you choose to sleep with your head angled north rather than east or south. However, many practitioners of natural medicine say that it’s worth avoiding the north if you can. Sleeping with the head towards any side other than the north could be better. However, if you’re in the southern hemisphere, then you can ignore that advice, as you’re approaching the whole topic from the opposite angle.
Which Sleep Direction Is Best?
Choosing the best direction to sleep in each night isn’t always easy. You’ll need to think about what works for you. However, while there isn’t much information on the question, “Which side should we face while sleeping?” we can find a lot of guidance on which direction your head should be pointing in. According to Ayurvedic medicine and various natural health strategies, the way you sleep really can affect everything – from your risk of illness to your sense of wellbeing.
If you want to wake up with the best possible energy levels, supported by magnetic fields in the earth, and the proper alignment of your living space, then you’re best to avoid the north direction. Sleeping with your head facing north could increase your chances of problems with blood circulation to stress, among others. However, if you spend your life sleeping with the head directed towards the east or facing south, then you could increase your energy levels, concentration, and mood dramatically.
Some experts believe that the east is the overall best direction to sleep in because it helps with meditation and concentration. However, you can also achieve happiness and contentment if you try sleeping in the south direction too. Choose east if you’re looking for improved focus, and south if you want deeper sleep.
Additional Resources
Rebekah Carter is a dedicated writer and researcher of sleep and relaxation solutions. She has years of experience testing out mattresses, pillows, and other products
