A recent article about feng shui expert Laura Cerrano claims to know how to help you sleep better just by following a few simple superstitious practices.

In an article appearing on My Domaine, Cerrano lists a variety of things to do that will supposedly make you sleep better, all of which are based on a form of Chinese geomancy (a method of divination) known as feng shui. This practice is based in the Taoist belief that the land is alive and filled with a universal life force known as chi and that we can influence the flow of chi in our homes through the “correct” placement of furniture, windows, doors, etc.

Ms. Cerrano brings these principals into the bedroom by recommending that people who want to sleep better be mindful of furniture placement such as keeping at least one inch of space between the wall and the bed in order to maintain balance.

The bed should also occupy a “commanding position” in the room because "This allows the occupant to literally, energetically, and metaphorically see and feel who and what opportunities are approaching their life. An ideal layout would be to have a clear vantage point of the bedroom door from the bed, while not being 100% in alignment with the doorway," Cerrano says.

For those who have an ensuite bath, they need to be careful not to align the bed with the bathroom door. “Some feng shui consultants will say the bathroom is associated with energy drain, which is why it's suggested to avoid this type of bed positioning,” Cerrano says.

Remove all electronics from the bedroom because TV’s, computers and cell phones emit large amounts of “electric and magnetic fields” which could disrupt a person’s immune system while sleeping.

Too many mirrors can create an “imbalance of energy” because they are believed to “activate the energy” within a room.

Adding an area rug under or near the bed is a way to “ground the energy when sleeping and create a balance between yin (soft textures) and yang (hard surfaces)."

Don’t store anything under the bed because this can prevent the free-flow of energy around the bed. This is particularly true of shoes which symbolize “other people potentially taking advantage of you” so they belong in a closet somewhere.

However, if you have to store things under the bed, “be mindful of who gave these items to you and what emotional content you associate with them."

Blinds should always be opened in the morning to “referseh the energy” and closed at night to “keep the fresh energy circulating inside your bedroom when sleeping.”

Keep books with negative content or titles out of the bedroom and be sure to use neutral colors on the walls to prevent “overstimulating” the energy when you’re sleeping. Accent colors should be associated with “partnership energy.”Add to the decor with crystals and organic candles.

Cerrano claims these tips can help a person sleep better – although there is no science to back up these claims – or any other claims about the effectiveness of feng shui. although, the most effective way to make you sleep better is using CPAP. Don't worry if you don't have it, you can get cpap parts for sale and start sleeping better.

Perhaps this is because the “energy” that is supposedly being “balanced” in our homes also lacks any scientific credibility. There’s no such thing as chi, ki, prana, yin yang, universal life force, or whatever else New Age enthusiasts like to call it, which means that feng shui isn’t balancing anything more than thin air.

As The Learn to Discern Compendium explains, the rest is just plain superstition.