Sleeplessness is on the rise in America. something you may already know about. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has gone so far as to say that our tossing and turning has propelled us into a health nightmare. The CDC attributes the following ailments and diseases to lack of sleep: obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cardio-vascular disease, depression, cigarette smoking and excessive drinking.

Oh my. So if you could make a few relatively minor adjustments to your bedroom to help you sleep, wouldn’t you do it?

Feng Shui Expert Yvonne Phillips, FSII, offers the following tips to making your bedroom the relaxing haven it should be.

Ten Tips to Sleeping Better

1. Move your phone or answering machine away from where you are sleeping and cover mirrors and TVs at night. The reason for covering them is because they are a yang -- active -- energy and you should have yin -- calm -- items in the room where you sleep.

2. Be sure to keep your office out of your bedroom. Your office work requires active energy. You need the energy in your bedroom to be yin or soft energy.  If you have to have a work area in your bedroom, make sure to block this part of the room off with a screen before you go to bed.

3. Bed linens should be of simple designs and calming colors. If the patterns are too busy, they will affect your sleep.

4. What should be underneath your bed? Absolutely nothing! Energy should be able to flow easily through and under your bed and it can’t do that if you have boxes of sweaters or more under the bed.

5. The only pictures on display in the room should be of the people who sleep in that bedroom. If you display your parent’s pictures, you have invited that energy into the room.

6. Declutter constantly. Whether it’s objects, clothing, bed linens, books, or memorabilia, it doesn’t belong in your peaceful bedroom.

7. Freshen the room, even in the middle of winter. Open the windows and let the wind blow through the room in the afternoons.

8. The addition of soft inviting aromatherapy smells and soft throw blankets and lots of pillows will make the room look and feel comfortable to you.

9. Pay attention to what type of artwork you display on the walls of your bedroom. Artwork should display yin/soft energy and it should not feature single elements like a single person or flower -- if you want a relationship!

10. If possible, locate the bedroom at the back of the house away from the busy energy that comes from the street or road in front of the house.

To learn more, you can reach Yvonne at YvonnePhillips@aol.com or through her website at www.Fengshuipublications.com.

By Teresa K. Flatley

www.boomthis.com