Have you ever decluttered a room and felt an overwhelming sense of calm? That feeling isn’t a placebo effect – it’s feng shui. According to the principles of feng shui, clutter is a negative obstacle that must be fixed in order to promote the flow of natural energy. This is even rooted in psychology, with the belief that leaving a room cluttered leaves the brain feeling frustrated, anxious, and overwhelmed.

What Is Feng Shui?

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice that provides strategies to better handle your environment, which often translates to the way you arrange buildings, furniture, and space. This practice aims to provide harmonizing energy that can shift the way you feel as well as promote balance and peace.

Feng shui has roots in Taoism, and the practice is said to stem from the Taoist belief in qi (pronounced chee), or life force. Qi is made up of yin and yang, opposing but complementary elemental forces. Taoists believe that when yin and yang are balanced, the flow of qi is improved, and any bad energy’s kept away. Many people believe that if feng shui principles are properly applied, the practice can bring success, luck, and improved health.

When it comes to feng shui in a home: Since qi can enter and leave through doors and windows, many rules of the practice will dictate which items to place near or far from those openings. Much of the practice also involves the five elements – water, fire, earth, wood, and metal. Mixing, combining, or removing items can quickly change the flow of positive qi. Each of the five elements also brings suggestions for colors and shapes of items; for example, elements for earth typically have organic shapes and include tones of brown, green, orange, and yellow.

Four Ways Feng Shui Can Improve Your Health

Feng shui’s been practiced for thousands of years in China and is gaining popularity around the world, from workplaces to homes. In work spaces, the flow of qi can affect employee performance, and incorporating elements of feng shui has been said to positively influence business transactions.

It May Improve Your Focus

Focus is something most people wish they could package and unleash. Millions of children and adults have been prescribed ADHD medication because of an inability to focus well. Feng shui isn’t a solution to ADHD, but it may improve minor issues associated with the inability to focus.

Simple tasks like cleaning out old spaces and even using art in a specific way may improve focus. According to feng shui rules, arranging your workspace to face east or north can improve energy needed for concentration ‒ and your back should never face the door, as that invites negative energy.

It Can Enhance Your Sleep Quality

Good-quality sleep is essential for metabolic health, mental health, and physical health. Without restorative sleep, the body goes into survival mode. There are many ways to improve your sleep, such as with natural supplements, blue light glasses, and a good bedtime routine ‒ but how relaxing is your environment when it’s time to hit the hay?

Did you know that clutter can keep you awake just as much as blue light? Feng shui provides a calming environment through rearranging furniture and pictures and even adding some new pieces. When you declutter your space, you declutter your mind, which helps to promote more restful sleep.

It May Reduce Stress and Improve Your Emotional Well-being

Chronic stress affects millions of people worldwide, and it’s one of the top reasons people frequent the doctor’s office. Many people live with chronic stress and have an excess of cortisol, a stress hormone. When the level of cortisol is too high, it can affect mental and emotional health, from mood to energy.

Practicing feng shui can be grounding, working to make your environment more peaceful.

Feng shui relies heavily on nature and plants, which have been shown to improve emotional health by reducing stress levels. Having less clutter in your home can lower stress levels, too.

It May Improve Your Eating Habits

Feng shui may offer tips to improve your eating habits by utilizing color in strategic ways. The color blue has shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, and the principles of feng shui say that eating from blue plates can help you eat more mindfully.

Mindful eating can help improve digestion and even promote weight loss, as you’re consciously slowing down the pace of your meals and potentially reducing portion sizes because you allow yourself to listen to fullness cues.

Removing kitchen clutter is another way to practice feng shui. Cooking and dining in an energy-balanced environment can reduce stress and keep eating habits in check.

The Bottom Line

Feng shui is an ancient practice that promotes a shift in energy by rearranging your environment in a specific, intentional way. By doing so, you may feel calmer and empowered. Perhaps it will bring you some luck and success as well as improve your health by taking small steps. Start by simply rearranging your space – you don’t necessarily need to know all the concepts behind feng shui to do so. Listen to your intuition and try something new. You may surprise yourself with new, positive feelings in your environment that ripple out into other areas of your life!