Which Is Best Direction To Sleep Scientifically?

There are various systems such as Vastu Shastra, Ayurveda and Feng Shui, which talk about the best direction to sleep

In modern times with fast-paced lifestyles, getting proper sleep is a big issue for many people. It is estimated that more than half of the adult population lacks proper sleep 2-3 days per week. Lack of sleep can be due to various factors such as stress, anxiety, erratic schedules and environmental disturbances. Things like caffeine, alcohol, insomnia, chronic pain and hormonal changes can also cause sleep deprivation.

Experts following traditional wellness systems believe that the direction in which one sleeps can also determine the overall quality of sleep. Although this is not scientifically proven, yet many people claim that they have benefitted by choosing the right direction to sleep. Let us get more details on such possibilities.

Best direction to sleep scientifically as per Vastu Shastra

This is the most common traditional system that is used to determine the best direction to sleep in India. As per Vastu Shastra, the best direction to sleep is to have head pointing South and feet pointing North. This is widely recommended by Vastu Shastra experts.

The reason for this sleeping position is to align the body’s magnetic polarity with Earth’s magnetic field. It is common knowledge that opposites attract and the same magnetic polarity repels each other. In Vastu Shastra, the head is considered as the body’s magnetic North. That is why it should be pointing South when sleeping. This ensures attraction with Earth’s magnetic polarity, which has a better effect on sleep. If the head faces the North while sleeping, it can cause repulsion. This in turn can adversely impact sleep.

Since it may not be possible for everyone to follow the North and South rule due to the orientation of their room or the position of the bed, Vastu has other recommendations for which direction to sleep. The second best option is to have the head pointing east and feet pointing west. This is linked to the rising sun, which brings mental clarity, positive energy, memory improvement, spiritual growth and vitality.

Users can also choose to sleep with their head pointing towards west and feet towards the east. However, this can have some issues such as laziness or nightmares. The sleep direction one should absolutely avoid as per Vastu is the head pointing North. This is claimed to cause various issues such as stress, high blood pressure, nightmares and disturbed sleep.

Best direction to sleep as per Feng Shui

This offers a more personalized approach rather than choosing a specific direction to sleep. According to Feng Shui, the best direction to sleep varies based on an individual’s Kua number. This is determined using the individual’s birth year and gender. So, based on this Kua number, individuals can be asked to sleep with their head pointing East, South or Southeast.

As is evident, there is not a single direction of sleep that is applicable for everyone in Feng Shui. The East, South and Southeast are the top recommendations based on the Kua number. These are linked to better clarity, fresh energy and enhanced grounding. For some old people, Feng Shui can also recommend sleeping with the head pointing North. Some individuals could also be asked to sleep with their head facing South.

What science says about the best direction to sleep?

To prove something scientifically, large studies need to be conducted. However, such studies are yet to be conducted for evaluating traditional systems. Only some smaller studies have been conducted, where some people experienced better sleep by following the directional recommendations. Best results were noted for the head pointed towards the South while sleeping.

Sleep scientists believe that there can be other factors at play such as room temperature, air quality, type of mattress, sleep schedule consistency, etc. These scientists believe that traditional systems may still work due to their potential placebo effect. In short, while the best direction to sleep makes an interesting hypothesis, it is yet to be proven scientifically. However, one can also not ignore the benefits that people claim to have by sleeping in a particular direction.