Is it good Feng Shui to hang things over your bed? Generally, it's best to keep the space above your head clear while you sleep. There are important rules and some powerful exceptions to this guideline that you should know about.
Your bed is more than just furniture. In the vulnerable state of sleep, your mind is very open to the environment around you. What hangs directly above you affects your rest, your dreams, and how well you feel overall.
This guide gives you a complete framework for the space above your bed. We will cover what to hang and why these rules matter so much. We'll also look at the often-forgotten space under your bed and give you practical solutions for difficult room layouts.
The Fundamental Principle
Why does the space above your bed matter so much in Feng Shui? It comes down to avoiding heavy energy.
In Feng Shui, any heavy object placed directly above you creates what is called "Sha Qi," or pressing, attacking energy. While you sleep, your personal energy field is more easily affected by this constant, subtle pressure.
Your headboard stands for support, and the wall behind it acts as your protective "mountain." The space above your head should feel open and safe, not threatened. This connects to our basic need for safety to get truly deep, restful sleep.
Modern sleep science backs up this ancient wisdom. Feeling safe is crucial for the brain to relax and enter deeper sleep stages. Places that create hidden worry can lead to more sleep disruptions. The goal is to remove any source of stress, no matter how small it seems.
The "Do Not Hang" List
To create a peaceful place to sleep, you need clarity. Here are five things you should never place over your bed, as they are the most common causes of sleep problems.
| Item to Avoid | Feng Shui Reason |
|---|---|
| Heavy Shelving & Bookcases | This is the most direct source of pressing energy. The physical weight feels like energy weight. Shelves filled with books represent "work" or "worries" hanging over your head, keeping your mind active. The slight fear of it falling creates constant, low-level worry. |
| Large, Heavy Artwork | The weight of a massive frame and sharp energy of glass are not good for rest. A heavy oil painting in a fancy frame puts similar pressure as a bookshelf. Glass can be a problem as it brings a "breaking" element and can create odd reflections. |
| Ceiling Beams & Sloped Ceilings | Beams are seen as a source of "cutting" energy. A beam across the bed can symbolically "split" a couple or put pressure on the body part it crosses. Sloped ceilings create a constant, downward pressure that can feel tight and limit your sense of freedom. |
| Mirrors | Mirrors over the bed are a firm "no" in nearly all Feng Shui schools. They bounce energy around the room and disrupt the calm needed for sleep. Seeing sudden movement in a mirror can be startling, and some beliefs say a mirror facing the bed can bring unwanted energy into a relationship. |
| Water Features or Pictures | While a waterfall picture may seem peaceful, water is highly active energy. Placing it over your bed can bring a feeling of not being stable. In Feng Shui, this can show up as money worries or emotional ups and downs, which is the opposite of what you want in your rest space. |
The "Energy Sandwich"
To master your sleep space, think of the whole picture. We suggest using the "Energy Sandwich" idea. Picture yourself sandwiched between the energy above your bed and the energy below it. For peaceful, refreshing rest, both sides must be clear, clean, and supportive.
This brings us to the often-ignored area: the space under your bed.
The main rule for the space under your bed is to keep it empty. Your body's energy needs to flow freely around you as you sleep to help healing and cleansing. Stuff under the bed blocks this flow, creating stuck energy that can hurt your health and well-being.
Some things should never be stored under your bed:
- Items from past relationships, like letters or gifts. These tie you to the past, stopping you from moving forward in your life and current relationships.
- Shoes. You wear shoes to be "on the move." Storing them under your bed can bring restless energy that leads to poor sleep, as if you can't fully stop and rest.
- Exercise gear or work materials. These items carry active energy that works against the calm energy needed for sleep.
- Anything broken, unused, or just piled up. These things hold stale energy that affects your personal energy field all night.
We once worked with someone who couldn't sleep well and always felt tired. After looking at their bedroom, we only changed one thing: we cleared out boxes of old work files and unused gadgets from under their bed. Within a week, they slept through the night for the first time in months. That shows the power of removing stuck energy.
We know that for many people, especially in smaller homes, under-bed storage is needed. If you must use this space, do it with purpose:
- Only store soft, sleep-related items. Think clean sheets, extra pillows, blankets, or soft, out-of-season clothes.
- Use organized containers, preferably made from natural materials. Avoid messy piles of loose items.
- Never store anything with sharp edges or bad memories, no matter what it is.
Practical Magic for "Problem" Rooms
The "perfect" Feng Shui bedroom isn't always possible. Life comes with building challenges and space limits. True Feng Shui skill is making the best of what you have. This section gives practical fixes for common bedroom problems.
Problem: An Unmovable Beam
If your bed must be under a beam, you have several options to fix the "cutting" energy. A simple solution is to hang light, flowing fabric to make a soft canopy. This softens the hard edge of the beam visually and energy-wise.
Another approach is to paint the beam the same color as the ceiling. This helps it blend in, reducing its heavy presence. A traditional Feng Shui fix involves hanging two bamboo flutes on the beam, angled up like a tent, to help lift the energy.
Problem: A Sloped Ceiling
You can fix the energy of a sloped ceiling pressing down over your head. Place one or two upward-facing lights on your nightstands or on the floor. Shining light upwards visually "lifts" the heavy, downward-sloping energy.
The best solution, if possible, is to move the bed. Try to place your bed so that the lowest part of the slope is at the foot of the bed, not directly over your head while you sleep.
Problem: Bed Under a Window
Putting a bed under a window is usually avoided because a window lacks the solid support of a wall. It can make you feel exposed. If this is the only possible place for your bed, you can create that missing support.
First, get the most solid, tall, and sturdy headboard you can find. The headboard will act as your personal "mountain." Second, install heavy, good-quality curtains or blinds. When closed at night, they create a solid, fabric "wall" behind you, giving a sense of safety and blocking drafts or outside energy.
What You Can Safely Hang
After clearing away the negative things, you might want to put something positive over your bed. This is fine, as long as you follow the main rule: it must be lightweight and very securely attached. The feeling of safety is most important.
The Best Type of Artwork
When choosing art, think about the energy it brings into your personal space.
- Lightweight Canvases: An unframed canvas or one with a very simple, light wood frame is ideal. It gives you the beauty of art without the heavy weight or sharp energy of glass.
- Uplifting & Peaceful Subjects: Look for images that make you feel calm and supported. Gentle landscapes (without rough water), abstract pieces with soft curves and calming colors, or a single, strong tree showing growth are excellent choices. A mountain range is a classic symbol of support.
- Artwork for Romance: To enhance a relationship, choose artwork that comes in pairs. This could be two birds, two flowers, or any image that shows a harmonious pair. Avoid pictures of a single, alone person, which can strengthen feelings of loneliness.
Other Safe Options
Art isn't your only choice. A beautiful fabric hanging can add color, texture, and softness without any significant weight. It's a wonderful way to bring a gentle, artistic feeling to the space.
If you like to use words or sayings, you can hang them over the bed if they are on a very lightweight background, like canvas or thin wood. Make sure the words are calming and positive, such as "Peace," "Breathe," or "Serenity."
To make the best choice, consider this simple comparison:
| Good Option | Better Option |
|---|---|
| A small, framed picture of a mountain. | A large, lightweight, unframed canvas of a mountain range. |
| Why it's better: The canvas maximizes the visual feeling of support and stability without bringing in the dangerous weight and sharp energy of a heavy frame and glass. |
Your Bedroom, Your Sanctuary
In the end, the goal of bedroom Feng Shui is to create a space that feels deeply safe, supportive, and restful to your mind. It's about designing a room that nurtures and restores you every single night.
You can start transforming your space today with a simple, three-step action plan.
- Assess & Remove: Start by taking down anything from the "Do Not Hang" list that is currently over your bed.
- Clear & Clean: Completely empty the space under your bed. Clean it thoroughly, and only put back items that are soft, sleep-related, and neatly organized.
- Enhance with Purpose: If you decide to place something new over your bed, choose it carefully. Make sure it is lightweight, securely hung, and has a positive, calming meaning for you.
Feng Shui is a powerful tool to help you create a home that truly loves you back. Start with these small, purposeful changes in your bedroom, and notice how your sleep quality and overall sense of well-being begin to improve.
0 comments