Vastu for the bedroom: which direction to sleep in, and where the bed goes
The most quoted Vastu rule of all is about sleep: head to the south, never to the north. Here is where it comes from, how it applies to the bed and the bedroom, and what to do in a room that will not cooperate.
If you have heard one Vastu rule, it is probably this one: do not sleep with your head to the north. It is repeated by grandparents who have never opened a Vastu book. This guide explains the rule, and the rest of what Vastu says about the bedroom.
Which way your head should point
When people talk about sleeping direction, they mean the direction your head points when you lie in bed.
| Head towards | Read as |
|---|---|
| South | Best — deep, stable sleep |
| East | Good — rest, and waking refreshed |
| South-West | Good — grounding |
| West, North-East, North-West, South-East | Workable |
| North | Avoid — poor sleep and stress |
South is the ideal. East is the usual second choice, and it is often recommended for students, because east is associated with learning and the morning.
Our bed guide lists every direction with the reason given for it.
Why not north
The traditional explanation is magnetic: the head is likened to the north pole of a magnet, and lying head-north puts it against the Earth's own field. In the Puranas, north is also the direction the head of the dead is laid towards. Whatever one makes of either reason, the rule is kept almost everywhere in India, and moving a bed is easy.
Where each bedroom belongs
Vastu also cares which part of the home the bedroom is in, and it treats the main bedroom differently from the others.
The master bedroom belongs in the south-west, the earth corner, which is linked with stability and with the head of the household. South and west are strong second choices. The north-east and south-east are avoided. See the master bedroom guide.
Children's and guest rooms suit the west, which is read as the best place for children, and also the north and east. The south-west is kept for the head of the family. The bedroom guide has the full table.
The north-east is discouraged for any bedroom. It is meant to stay light and open, the place for prayer.
Placing the bed
- Put the bed so your head points south or east.
- Keep the head of the bed against a solid wall, not under a window.
- Leave space on both sides, and do not store clutter under the bed.
- Avoid a beam running over the bed, and avoid placing the bed directly in line with the door.
- A mirror facing the bed is discouraged; cover it at night if it cannot move.
A room that will not cooperate
If the only wall your bed fits against points your head north, the usual compromise is to sleep across the bed or turn it towards the east, which is accepted almost everywhere. In a south-east bedroom, which is linked with restlessness, calm colours and keeping electronics out of the room are the remedies usually offered.
The kitchen is the other room where direction matters most: see Vastu for the kitchen, or browse every room in our Vastu guide.