The healthiest direction to sleep is typically considered to be east or south. East is said to promote intellectual effectiveness and south is believed to enhance quality of sleep.
Facing East or South while sleeping is the best. But facing North or West might lead to bad sleep or nightmares. So, to wake up fresh and filled with energy, try to keep your head in this direction while sleeping.
Because your head functions like a north pole, sleeping with your body in a north-facing position is considered a worst-case scenario, according to Vastu Shastra. It creates tension that may lead to headaches and other health problems.
The electromagnetic forces of the earth are neutral in the East. Thus, East is considered to be a good direction to keep your head while sleeping.
Scientific Research
Although there are a limited number of studies on this topic, recent research has shown that sleeping with your head to the south may promote better sleep, heart health, and mental health.
The Best Directions For The Bed Are East, Northeast And Southeast. The correct bed direction, as per vastu, should be east, northeast and southeast so that the legs are in the north or west direction while you're asleep.
Head down tilt (HDT) reduces intracranial perfusion and leads to jugular vein congestion (Marshall-Goebel et al., 2016; Kramer et al., 2017). Moreover, an increased intracranial pressure is a consequence of HDT (Lawley et al., 2017).
South is ruled by the Hindu god Yama; therefore, sleep south if you want to have the heavy and deep sleep of death. Going back to the magnetic pole theory, a mutual attraction (head positive, south negative) creates a harmonious exchange that draws energy into the body, rather than out, as in the case of north.
Along with this, a person can also sleep with his head towards the south direction. But one should never sleep with feet facing south and east as it increases negativity in the person's mind. The scriptures also describe what kind of bed a person should have.
Side sleeping helps prevent the airway from collapsing and can reduce snoring. "And so, all in all, sleeping on the side — perhaps with their head slightly elevated as long as that's comfortable — is a good way to sleep," says Dr. Krahn. Side sleeping also is recommended during pregnancy, especially the last trimester.
Facing North While Sleeping
In certain Asian traditions, the direction of your sleep holds deep significance. There's a belief that sleeping with your head facing north can be unlucky. Why? It's thought that this position aligns our body's magnetic field with the Earth's, potentially shortening life.
Vastu Shastra, the ancient Indian science of architecture and design, warns that keeping water near your head while you sleep can weaken your Moon planet, leading to negativity and psychological issues. Even science agrees.
In your pooja room, the idols of gods should ideally face either the northeast direction. This alignment is considered auspicious and promotes a positive flow of energy within the space. Avoid having the idols face each other or face the south, as this is generally considered inauspicious according to Vastu principles.
Sleeping with the head towards the East is considered beneficial according to Vastu Shastra. It generates positive energy flow into your life and enhances spiritual inclination. This positioning is associated with aligning oneself with the flow of natural energies and is believed to result in more restful sleep.
“Some emerging research suggests that sleeping in certain positions — such as on your side — may facilitate the brain's clearance of waste products, which could theoretically reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.”
North, no. This is true as long as you are in the northern hemisphere – sleeping with your head towards any side except north is okay. In the southern hemisphere, don't put your head to the south.
Scripture says that when Jesus and His disciples were traveling on a boat, a fierce storm hit. The disciples were terrified, scurrying around in a panic, but Jesus was sleeping soundly in the back of the boat "with his head on a cushion" (v. 38).
East and south are generally considered good directions to face when sleeping. East is associated with intellectual growth and success, while south is believed to promote deeper sleep and health stability.
Which is the best direction
According to Vastu shastra, sleeping with your head pointing towards the south is the best and most beneficial for health and well-being.
Ideally, feng shui best practices suggest positioning your bed in a way so that your head faces south and you can see the door while lying down to maintain a sense of security and control.
Whether you should sleep on your right or left side depends on which health issues you face. The left side may provide more benefits, particularly for those who are pregnant, or experience gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). People with these conditions might want to take special care to sleep on their left side.
Best direction for sleeping for couples
It is recommended to position the bed in the south or south-west. Furthermore, according to Vastu, the wife must sleep on her husband's left side in order to maintain a happy marital relationship. Couples sleep best with their heads pointing south, south-east, or south-west.
Stomach sleeping
Sleeping on your stomach may put stress on your neck and shoulders because you twist your head at an unnatural angle. This position can also strain the spine after a while. If you have back pain, it's a good idea to train yourself to sleep on your side instead of your stomach.
Sleeping on front, arms up:
Again, this is not recommended, although 3% of people surveyed maintain this sleep position. Although the arms can support the head, it still puts strain on the neck and back regions.