Alright, here’s one you may not have heard before.
The direction in which your noggin’s pointed when you rest can either make or break your sleep. Okay, okay. I may be getting too airy fairy here for some. However, as I was perusing the random “recommendations” on my Youtube home page, I came across this interesting clip. It was a sleep tip from Sadhguru that I’d never heard previously. I’m not sure if the idea’s based on Asian feng shui or earth meridian mysticism, but the idea is kinda sorta exactly that. When it comes to the energy channels being balanced in the body, the idea is that the earth has meridians too. If we’re not aligned with them, some believe we’ll deal with imbalance. Face the wrong way when you sleep, and you’ll deal with insomnia and lackluster days spent feeling depleted.
(Kinda like how your dog has to face a specific direction to drop a deuce)
So which is which?
According to those following this logic, due north is the worst for those living in the northern hemisphere. It puts you at a magnetic disadvantage when it comes to the poles of the earth. I went on to read, also, that those sleeping with their heads north suffer nightmares and sleeplessness and everything else I deal with on a nightly basis. Naturally, I did some mental map math and realized that’s exactly the direction in which I’ve been sleeping for the past (*counts on fingers… divides… carries the one*) ten years or so. Yikes. Exception? If you live in the Southern hemisphere, then north is no problem.
And how about east versus west?
West isn’t the best. It can make you content and comfy – but done on the regular – it can make you lazy. Might not sound bad, but think about the last relache you were in where you felt “content”. Remember how you stopped doing daily squats and eating quite as healthy? Where you forewent Saturday morning training that made you badass so you could stay under the covers and “cuddle”? That’s kinda where your mind goes with Westward resting, according to the spirit scientists. Then, finally: what’s the best direction? (We don’t have a lotta options left, so hopefully you guess it; otherwise you’re likely even more sleep deprived than ya thought…) East reigns supreme. Because of the way you line up with the earth’s energetic flow, you go to sleep easier, stay slumbering through the night, awaken well rested, and feel motivated enough to superstar through the day ahead.
So, what’s the verdict for me? Am I gonna chuck this stuff in the hogwash bucket just ‘cause it’s not got a place on the evidence based hierarchy? Do I really believe this? Honestly I dunno what I believe in anymore. I’ve dealt with some fakes and snake oil folk. I’ve read some rubbish and watched a lot’ve nonsense worthy of migraine level eyerolls. But I’ve also gotten next level epiphanies from hippies I’ve met on a whim and have seen some miraculous things happen that can’t be explained by conventional science. So, to answer that question, the verdict for me is that I’ve been dying for a good night’s rest (that doesn’t require all the holistic teas and herbs and externals I write about on here) for a decade now; and if pointing my pillow due east holds the slenderest shred of hope in changing that…
You bet your happy booty I will, Sadhguru.
(Guess I’m sleepin’ upside down tonight…)