does sleeping in a certain direction make a difference?

[Laura]

Doctors often advise pregnant ladies to sleep on the left side to take the pressure off the hepatic portal vein which reduces swelling of the legs. It is also advised by some doctors if you have acid reflux since the natural shape of the stomach is supported properly for digestion.

As to direction, Ark swore for years that he slept better with his head to MAGNETIC NORTH. Our bedroom was such that there was no way to put the bed that would achieve this except right in the middle of the room catty-corner to a rounded wall. We tried everything and his sleep was terrible until we just aligned the bed right in the middle. So, after a time of experimenting, we ended up remodeling the bedroom to support this bed position. I've posted photos of the remodel on my FB page.

Back when we lived in Florida, the room was aligned to physical directions, not magnetic, so we ended up, again, turning the bed and aligning it with a compass. I was pretty skeptical that this made any difference, but I sure did start having a lot of psychic experiences/OOBEs and fantastic dreams with that alignment!!! It actually took me awhile to accommodate the increase in energy.

Recently this article came to my attention:
The best sleeping position for cleaning up the brain's metabolic waste
http://www.sott.net/article/299910-The-best-sleeping-position-for-cleaning-up-the-brains-metabolic-waste

Sleeping on your side removes waste from the brain most efficiently, a new study finds.

As a result, sleeping in a lateral position may help reduce the chance of developing Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

One of the most important things about sleeping is to sleep in TOTAL darkness!!!
http://www.sott.net/article/222037-The-importance-of-sleeping-in-total-darkness-Sleeping-with-lights-on-can-spur-cancer

I think we have a thread that discusses this at length.

LAN harms production of the hormone melatonin, which regulates other hormones and maintains the body's circadian rhythm. When it is dark, the body produces more melatonin; when it is light, the production of melatonin drops. The researchers showed that when the hormone is suppressed, the incidence of cancer rises.

The medical world already knows that women with breast cancer tend to have lower levels of melatonin than those without the disease.

And finally, my chiropractor told me years ago to sleep on my side with a pillow between my knees to take strain off the lower back.

So, the consensus of advice seems to be to sleep mainly on the left side with a pillow between the knees and proper head/neck support in total darkness for optimal health. I guess you'll have to experiment with directions to find what is best for you. We like N/S orientation with head to the magnetic north for natural energy flow.

 

[Yupo]

There was something in Emerald Tablets of Thoth about sleep direction. I believe the recommendation was to sleep N-S for strength and vigor. When one is ready to die, the direction should be changed to E-W which will facilitate the transition. Or something like that.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Doctors often advise pregnant ladies to sleep on the left side to take the pressure off the hepatic portal vein which reduces swelling of the legs. It is also advised by some doctors if you have acid reflux since the natural shape of the stomach is supported properly for digestion.

As to direction, Ark swore for years that he slept better with his head to MAGNETIC NORTH. Our bedroom was such that there was no way to put the bed that would achieve this except right in the middle of the room catty-corner to a rounded wall. We tried everything and his sleep was terrible until we just aligned the bed right in the middle. So, after a time of experimenting, we ended up remodeling the bedroom to support this bed position. I've posted photos of the remodel on my FB page.

Back when we lived in Florida, the room was aligned to physical directions, not magnetic, so we ended up, again, turning the bed and aligning it with a compass. I was pretty skeptical that this made any difference, but I sure did start having a lot of psychic experiences/OOBEs and fantastic dreams with that alignment!!! It actually took me awhile to accommodate the increase in energy.

Recently this article came to my attention:
The best sleeping position for cleaning up the brain's metabolic waste
http://www.sott.net/article/299910-The-best-sleeping-position-for-cleaning-up-the-brains-metabolic-waste

Sleeping on your side removes waste from the brain most efficiently, a new study finds.

As a result, sleeping in a lateral position may help reduce the chance of developing Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

One of the most important things about sleeping is to sleep in TOTAL darkness!!!
http://www.sott.net/article/222037-The-importance-of-sleeping-in-total-darkness-Sleeping-with-lights-on-can-spur-cancer

I think we have a thread that discusses this at length.

LAN harms production of the hormone melatonin, which regulates other hormones and maintains the body's circadian rhythm. When it is dark, the body produces more melatonin; when it is light, the production of melatonin drops. The researchers showed that when the hormone is suppressed, the incidence of cancer rises.

The medical world already knows that women with breast cancer tend to have lower levels of melatonin than those without the disease.

And finally, my chiropractor told me years ago to sleep on my side with a pillow between my knees to take strain off the lower back.

So, the consensus of advice seems to be to sleep mainly on the left side with a pillow between the knees and proper head/neck support in total darkness for optimal health. I guess you'll have to experiment with directions to find what is best for you. We like N/S orientation with head to the magnetic north for natural energy flow.

Because of my bicuspid aortic valve disease, I'm getting sleep on the right side.Thank you for the information.

 

[lainey]

Unfortunately trying out the North/South position in bed is impossible for me as I have a bunk bed fixed in an East/West direction. Might try it down on the floor one night with a futon to see if I notice anything.
I do switch ends from time to time but prefer my head at the West because it's furthest away from the smoke alarm fitted on the roof. I remember my dreams more at that end and get a better sleep.
I usually start out on my back while doing POTS before I fall asleep then scrabble the duvet and pillows between my knees and under my top arm to lie on my side (with more pillows for my head). It's kind of like giving someone a cuddle at the same time as being very comfortable.
The benefit of having the bunk which is fitted into an alcove in the wall is that I have a thick set of curtains to draw along with the main ones in the room so it's super dark. I leave them so air can still circulate and usually sleep with the window ajar for a nice fresh breeze.

 

[BHelmet]

It is my opinion and experience that, in general, one-size-fits-all answers don't address the complexities and depth of existence. I have studied compass school feng shui for many years. I am NOT a master by any stretch of the imagination, but I am not a complete bozo, either. This type of Feng Shui is largely a mechanical system which is based on the 8-sided i-ching. So it involves 8 primary directions (and a cyclical concept of time). There are also 2 'groups' of people (east and west) with 4 variations within each group (matching the 8 directions).

Soooooo, ANY direction could be a good direction to sleep in depending on these and other factors. ...Or not.

EG, I was born in the year of the tiger, west group, Kun trigram, so sleeping with my head to the southwest is theoretically the best for peaceful sleep for me. (on the other hand, sleeping with my head to the west is supposedly best for harmonious relationships so that could be a valid choice too) It would be different for each of you.

Experimentation and observation is key, as usual. Test it out, if you choose. If I just reverse head and feet in the same bed location I can definitely feel a difference. There are plenty of calculators for this stuff online.

Feng Shui is based on electromagnetism.

I have been trying to think of a question for the C's about this that goes beyond "Is there anything to this?" I think there IS something to it although I try not to go overboard with these external systems and still rely, ultimately, on an inner compass. I have wondered what effect the changing magnetic field of the sun and the earth are having as well. And, I suppose all the cell towers are messing with the 'qi' too. And the wave itself also may negate or change the impact of these things.

 

[lainey]

It is my opinion and experience that, in general, one-size-fits-all answers don't address the complexities and depth of existence. I have studied compass school feng shui for many years. I am NOT a master by any stretch of the imagination, but I am not a complete bozo, either. This type of Feng Shui is largely a mechanical system which is based on the 8-sided i-ching. So it involves 8 primary directions (and a cyclical concept of time). There are also 2 'groups' of people (east and west) with 4 variations within each group (matching the 8 directions).

Soooooo, ANY direction could be a good direction to sleep in depending on these and other factors. ...Or not.

EG, I was born in the year of the tiger, west group, Kun trigram, so sleeping with my head to the southwest is theoretically the best for peaceful sleep for me. (on the other hand, sleeping with my head to the west is supposedly best for harmonious relationships so that could be a valid choice too) It would be different for each of you.

Experimentation and observation is key, as usual. Test it out, if you choose. If I just reverse head and feet in the same bed location I can definitely feel a difference. There are plenty of calculators for this stuff online.

Feng Shui is based on electromagnetism.

I have been trying to think of a question for the C's about this that goes beyond "Is there anything to this?" I think there IS something to it although I try not to go overboard with these external systems and still rely, ultimately, on an inner compass. I have wondered what effect the changing magnetic field of the sun and the earth are having as well. And, I suppose all the cell towers are messing with the 'qi' too. And the wave itself also may negate or change the impact of these things.

That's interesting that you for sharing. I did the calculator and it says my direction for sleeping is West which is the way I sleep now and my desk also faces that direction. That's handy. Still might do an experiment to see if other directions feel different.

 

[patty2292]

Really interesting about the direct one sleeps in regards to compass. I've only ever changed sleeping direction due to what my room environment entailed. I.e never sleeping with my head towards the door / moving position in summer and winter etc. Just more comforting i found.

Recently I've been sleeping on a yoga mat and a minimal pillow on the floor this week to see if a bed is really necessary. This entails sleeping on your back all night due to the low profile cushioning and pillow. Im slowly getting used to sleeping this way. At first its a real change from the standard comfort of our beds. First noticeable difference is the temperature. It takes alot longer to warm yourself up inside the quilt without a huge warming mattress. This has actually been used to an advantage though as you wake up with nothing to cuddle or get comfy in. So as soon as you wake up, you don't have much choice but to get up nice and early! Snoozing in the comfort/warmth is something that always held me back in the mornings.

As with the supposed benefits to the back and legs sleeping so flat out, i cant see much benefit as of yet. In fact my lower back is a little sore, but it only comes on when i sit down in the morning - so i dont think its the sleep, but my bad posture is becoming alot more noticeable.
Reading up on it, it seems that it takes a good few days to get used to this position and change in bed posture. But so far each night my sleep is getting alot better. I may have a look at changing the direction to see if it helps also!

 

[monotonic]

As to direction, Ark swore for years that he slept better with his head to MAGNETIC NORTH.

Should one use a compass and use the field of their specific location or should they align with the pole ends even if the local field is different?

 

[Laura]

As to direction, Ark swore for years that he slept better with his head to MAGNETIC NORTH.

Should one use a compass and use the field of their specific location or should they align with the pole ends even if the local field is different?

local field.

 

[BHelmet]

It is my opinion and experience that, in general, one-size-fits-all answers don't address the complexities and depth of existence. I have studied compass school feng shui for many years. I am NOT a master by any stretch of the imagination, but I am not a complete bozo, either. This type of Feng Shui is largely a mechanical system which is based on the 8-sided i-ching. So it involves 8 primary directions (and a cyclical concept of time). There are also 2 'groups' of people (east and west) with 4 variations within each group (matching the 8 directions).

Soooooo, ANY direction could be a good direction to sleep in depending on these and other factors. ...Or not.

EG, I was born in the year of the tiger, west group, Kun trigram, so sleeping with my head to the southwest is theoretically the best for peaceful sleep for me. (on the other hand, sleeping with my head to the west is supposedly best for harmonious relationships so that could be a valid choice too) It would be different for each of you.

Experimentation and observation is key, as usual. Test it out, if you choose. If I just reverse head and feet in the same bed location I can definitely feel a difference. There are plenty of calculators for this stuff online.

Feng Shui is based on electromagnetism.

I have been trying to think of a question for the C's about this that goes beyond "Is there anything to this?" I think there IS something to it although I try not to go overboard with these external systems and still rely, ultimately, on an inner compass. I have wondered what effect the changing magnetic field of the sun and the earth are having as well. And, I suppose all the cell towers are messing with the 'qi' too. And the wave itself also may negate or change the impact of these things.

That's interesting that you for sharing. I did the calculator and it says my direction for sleeping is West which is the way I sleep now and my desk also faces that direction. That's handy. Still might do an experiment to see if other directions feel different.

Yes - experimentation is good. Interestingly, also, the direction your head faces for sleep is not (supposedly) the best direction to be facing when working. According to the theory, you want to face a direction that is more active/work oriented, which is different than sleep/rest.

Another way to test all this is just to get a compass and lay outside or on the floor for a few minutes in each of the 8 major directions N NE E SE etc, in a random order and just observe. That is actually a cool exercise. Notice what your body feels and mind thinks and emotions feel. That is one way to test it out and engage in a sort of self observation at the same time.

 

[BHelmet]

That's interesting that you for sharing. I did the calculator and it says my direction for sleeping is West which is the way I sleep now and my desk also faces that direction. That's handy. Still might do an experiment to see if other directions feel different.

Just to complete the thought, assuming you are Dui trigram, NW would be the most productive direction to be facing when sitting at a desk followed by NW, SW, and then West. IF your room is oriented N S E W, then the only way to achieve the NW direction would be one of those corner, angled desks. Otherwise just stick with the way you have it to the west.

Feng shui is one of those rabbit holes that just gets deeper the more you get into it. At a certain point I just have to say to myself, enough is enough. This bed, desk stuff is pretty basic though. The other major aspect is applying this type of analysis to the structure you occupy which is where it gets way more complex.

Pop feng shui where people are trying to sell amulets and 'cures' that ward off negative qi are rather obviously bogus, in my opinion. Black Hat feng shui is also bunk on many levels. (based strictly on the location of the front door with no regard for the compass directions). As I recall, the originator of Black Hat Sect feng shui was sued over a major skyscraper orientation in Singapore and finally admitted he basically just made it up to cash in on the craze.

 

[theos]

Humans (may) have the ability to detect magnetic fields. http://www.livescience.com/14694-humans-sixth-sense-magnetic-fields.html

Humans may have a sixth sense after all, suggests a new study finding that a protein in the human retina, when placed into fruit flies, has the ability to detect magnetic fields.

The researchers caution that the results suggest this human protein has the capability to work as a magnetosensor; however, whether or not humans use it in that way is not known.

"It poses the question, 'maybe we should rethink about this sixth sense,'" Steven Reppert, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, told LiveScience. "It is thought to be very important for how animals migrate. Perhaps this protein is also fulfilling an important function for sensing magnetic fields in humans."

Past research has suggested that in addition to helping animals such as sea turtles and migratory birds navigate, the ability to detect magnetic fields could help with visual spatial perception. Reppert said to picture a magnetic-field coordinate system overlaid on objects we view. [7 Amazing Superhuman Abilities]

"It may aid how animals perceive how objects are in time and space in a way we haven't thought about before," said Reppert, who is a neurobiologist.

Animals' magnetic sense is thought to rely on special proteins called cryptochromes, which are also found in the human retina. While past behavioral research has suggested humans can't sense magnetic fields, with studies showing such a capability remaining controversial, there is evidence that geomagnetism affects the light system in our eyes.

To see if humans perhaps possessed this other sense, Reppert and his colleagues tested wild fruit flies, with their cryptochromes intact, and those that had their own cryptochromes replaced with the human version of the protein.

They placed the fruit flies into a T-shaped maze, with each arm equipped with a coil wrapped in such a way that when a current was sent through it, the coil became magnetized. The team varied which side was magnetized and its strength, which went up to eight times that of Earth's magnetic field.

The flies with the human cryptochromes showed sensitivity to the magnetic fields — either avoiding them as they might naturally do if not acclimated to the magnetism, or showing a preference for the magnetized arm of the maze when trained with sugar rewards to go toward the magnetic field.

The human protein only worked in the blue range of light, the researchers found.

The research is detailed in the June 21 issue of the journal Nature Communications.

There's also this: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v2/n6/full/ncomms1364.html

Humans are not believed to have a magnetic sense, even though many animals use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation and navigation. One model of magnetosensing in animals proposes that geomagnetic fields are perceived by light-sensitive chemical reactions involving the flavoprotein cryptochrome (CRY). Here we show using a transgenic approach that human CRY2, which is heavily expressed in the retina, can function as a magnetosensor in the magnetoreception system of Drosophila and that it does so in a light-dependent manner. The results show that human CRY2 has the molecular capability to function as a light-sensitive magnetosensor and reopen an area of sensory biology that is ready for further exploration in humans.

Though more research is pending, it seems that humans can, indeed, sense magnetic fields. I wonder why there is always the admonishment not to sleep facing North. Maybe because it can cause an increase in psychic-like abilities, as Laura said.

 

[Windmill knight]

Though more research is pending, it seems that humans can, indeed, sense magnetic fields. I wonder why there is always the admonishment not to sleep facing North. Maybe because it can cause an increase in psychic-like abilities, as Laura said.

Maybe I misunderstand, but isn't facing north the opposite to having your head to the north, which is what Laura was advocating?

As for how I sleep, I normally start on my back while I get relaxed, and when I'm ready I turn on my side, with a pillow between the legs for support. I prefer to sleep on the left side, and I like my darkness so complete that if I open my eyes I don't know if they are open or closed. I even put a scarf on my eyes to avoid any possible remnant of light, even when the room is already super dark!

 

[Pierre]

One reference book about sleeping in total darkness is "Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival". This thread is dedicated to it.

I sleep in total darkness (double shutters + double door!) with the head pointing towards the magnetic North and those changes have improved my sleep quality.

 

[JGeropoulas]

I don't know any written source for this argument but it is strongly recommended to sleep your head pointing towards north. One reason for this could be that you are aligned with magnetic forces.

There's a detailed discussion of that a book cited in SHOTW entitled "The Lost Magic of Christianity".