A few weeks ago Mrs Angie contacted me about Feng Shui. She has tried everything for her daughter, who suffered from sever insomnia. If you battle with insomnia you know how frustrating it can be to get a good nights sleep. The goal was to help her 16-year-old daughter get a good nights sleep. I quickly learned that severe insomnia can be very debilitating. She can’t sleep at night but during the day she can barely stay awake – which is affecting her schoolwork.

I personally don’t have insomnia, but I have had nights where I’ve been unable to sleep and I also live with someone who had severe insomnia when I met him. And I can honestly say, it would be extremely frustrating to want to sleep and be unable to sleep. But I am here to tell you there are many simple tricks you can add or delete from your life to help you get better sleep; and sleep the whole night through. To bring in a bigger punch of tips, I asked Feng Shui expert, Anjie Cho to chime in on the subject and offer up some of her best tips too!

How to feng shui yourself to sleep | GatesInteriorDesign.com

15 Ways to feng shui yourself to sleep and out of insomnia:

  • Add healing crystals- It’s a known fact that crystals aid in healing but did you know they can also help you sleep? Add a large Amethyst, Sodalite or Smoky Quartz to your nightstand. They will help calm your energy, absorb negative energy, and bring you to dream state faster.
  • Get rid of the clutter – I’ve said it before, one of my favorite sayings from Carol Olmsted is “clutter is postponed energy.” It is procrastination that is constantly tapping into your subconscious and zapping your energy. Clean off your nightstand, clear the drawers, dust and remove ALL items from under your bed. This promotes healthy sleep.
  • Salt-Once you have cleared out all the clutter from under your bed, add a cup or small plate of epsom salt. Salt has many natural healing properties. It aids in equilibrium and clears out our energy system by pulling out toxins. Remove and replenish salt every 30 days. Have a pet? Use a salt lamp, it will help regulate them too.
  • Art-Holy moly, choose wisely! I once had a client place a decapitated art piece in her bedroom, made of cut up sewing patterns above her bed. And she wondered why she was having vicious nightmares. Place soothing, calming art in your bedroom that promotes rest. Choose something you absolutely love and makes you feel amazing. (The one shown above in the graphic is no longer available.)
  • Electronics-Get rid of electrical cords, vampire energy, TV’s and any other unnecessary electronics. They emit electromagnetic waves that effect your health, and sleep. I have an EMF reader that I use in consultations to read electromagnetic readings in various rooms of the house. The bedroom is by far the worst contender of all rooms in most houses I visit. Place those items in the kitchen and “turn-off” at a specific time each day.
  • Color-We are intrinsically motivated by color. It is one of the few elements that can instantly change our mood. Choose bedroom colors that promote rest, feel calming and that make you feel at ease. Unsure of where to start? Contact Donna Frasca, she is the leading expert on Holistic Color.
  • Linens-It goes without saying that the thing that is closest to you will have the biggest impact on you. Buy the best linens you can afford. When I met David this was the first thing I made him buy. He nearly died when I told him the sheets I recommended were $400. His current sheets? $30 bucks from Wal-mart and they were 100% polyester. YUCK! Polyester DOES NOT BREATHE. It is itchy, uncomfortable and they will make you hot (and not in a good way!) Everything about that sounds restful, doesn’t it? Buy 100% cotton, and invest, invest, invest. Good quality sheets will last for years and you’ll get the best night’s sleep of your life. Just ask David….he’ll spend a grand on good quality sheets now if it means a solid six hours for him. Need recommendations? We love traditions, and Coyuchi.
  • Update your pillows– As I mentioned above, what’s closest to you has a profound affect on you. If your pillows are old, dilapidated relics you had in college, get rid of them and buy fresh new ones. If you have good quality ones, wash them and cover them in your super awesome new sheets.
  • Lighting-To create an optimal environment for rest, always choose low lighting. Lamps are ideal because they create shadows throughout the room telling your brain it’s time to start winding down.
  • Music-Low, soft music can help wash away the day. It puts you in a great mood and relaxes your mind – a terrific state just before resting for the night.
  • Routine-Do the same thing every night, at roughly the same time. Having a nightly routine may sound boring, but so does insomnia. Create a nightly routine that is similar every night – even on the weekends. This sets the tone for “mental shut down.” And you’ll start to notice that after about two weeks, you’ll start getting sleepy at the same time – Eureka!
  • Notebook-Keep a notebook on your nightstand for any “pop-up” moments that you don’t want to forget. Get those thoughts out of your head and onto paper. This will immediately release you from trying to remember things-which keeps your brain active and prevents you from sleeping. Here’s an attractive kate spade one I love!
  • BONUS Get black out drapes – It goes without saying that a cool dark room promotes better sleep. Did you know that our skin has photo sensitive properties? So if you have a street light, or any light pollution funneling through your window your bound to have trouble sleeping. Add black out drapes to your room to promote solid rest away from any distractions. Plus most black out drapes also absorb noise!

I have countless clients that I have worked with over the years that used to suffer from insomnia. Small lifestyle changes make big impacts on your sleeping patterns, but I was curious what other Feng Shui experts recommended for their insomniacs. Here are a few awesome tips that Anjie Cho added:

  1. Anjie, what are some of your favorite tools to use in a bedroom to promote serenity?
    essential oils – lavender to help calm soothing colors (blues, greens and neutrals) rather than active colors like red
  2. What are some of your suggestions to gain better quality rest?
    turn off all electronics an hour before you go to sleep even if they’re not in the bedroom
    no cell phones next to your head! put bed in commanding position
  3. What do you like to add or get rid of?
    remove books which may be too active of an energy
    reduce emfs, or at least cover up tvs/computers/phones
    remove anything under the bed, if you must keep only soft bed related items
    remove ceiling fans, stirs up too much chi!

Do you suffer from insomnia? try at least 7 of these tips and you’ll start seeing results!

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