Is Your Bedroom a Sacred Space?

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your bedroom as a sleep-friendly environment? Have you created a sacred space exclusively used for sleep, sex and self-care? If not, here are some practical tips I've learned to turn your sleep space into the sacred space of your dreams.
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On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your bedroom as a sleep-friendly environment? Have you created a sacred space exclusively used for sleep, sex and self-care? If not, here are some practical tips I've learned to turn your sleep space into the sacred space of your dreams.

I met Danielle Desaro, a feng shui consultant, a couple of years ago at a women's conference.
I was interested in learning about feng shui, so I hired her to check out our home's "flow" and give me her recommendations for shifting any blocked energy she encountered.

I've always believed in being as open-minded as possible -- without letting my brains fall out. Danielle arrived, notepad in hand, and asked me to take her on "the grand tour." I took a deep breath and started showing her around.

Danielle seemed pleased... until I opened the door to our bedroom, which I share with my husband. She immediately zeroed in on the elliptical machine in the corner, and strongly suggested that I move it into a different room in our home -- immediately. She then insisted that we lug it into my office before proceeding with the rest of her inspection. Moving that elliptical into the office was one of the best workouts I've ever had with it.

To maintain them as a sacred space, bedrooms must be reserved exclusively for sleep, sex and self-care. Danielle explained that in order to preserve the sanctity of our sanctuary, we must diligently keep all work-related items, electronic devices, and exercise equipment out of our bedroom. If I expected the space to hold tranquil energy, all technology must be left at the door -- no exceptions.

Danielle's passionate appeal reminded me of the couple of times I had witnessed Oprah Winfrey advocate against allowing TVs in the bedroom, from the platform of her own TV series. Oprah maintained that watching television in the bedroom interferes with connecting and communicating with your partner or spouse, and with relaxing and regenerating yourself. So if you have a television in your bedroom, Oprah and relationship and sleep experts adamantly advise that you get it out of there ASAP.

I've also found that night noise and sudden changes in my auditory environment can also invade my sacred space. I had lived in New York City for most of my life and had grown accustomed to dreaming peacefully through the shrill screams of firetrucks and police car sirens, and the dull roar of early-morning garbage trucks. When I moved to a sleepy suburban street in southern California, I couldn't figure out why I was having such a difficult time drifting off to dreamland at night. I finally realized what I had been missing -- the sounds of the city that never sleeps. I wasn't accustomed to falling asleep to the sound of silence. So I partnered with psychoneurologist Dr. Sylva Dvorak to create My Good Night Messages -- research-based, nightly, safe and natural sleep solution messages to help us to enjoy falling asleep every night, without the risky side effects of sleep medications.

If night noise is intruding on your sacred space in the middle of the night, try turning on a fan or a white noise machine before bed. If neither of these options works well for you, tune it all out with a pair of earplugs, which you can purchase from any drugstore.

It's been a couple of years since I went with the feng shui "flow." I am grateful for the difference it's made for our sanctuary, and hope it helps you create the sacred space of your dreams.

For more by Robin Palmer, click here.

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