Whether or not you’re aware of it, the way your bedroom looks has a significant impact on the quality of your sleep. Painting your bedroom walls a soothing shade of blue, for example, can promote relaxation and make falling asleep easier. So can making your bed every morning, since seeing disarray when you walk through the door is often stressful and less than conducive to preparing for a good night’s sleep.

So it makes sense, then, that proponents of the ancient Chinese tradition of feng shui—a practice based on the notion that the layout of your home plays a big role in your health and wellbeing—say the right bedroom layout can improve the quality of your sleep. Here, learn more about the art of feng shui and how to put the principles of this practice into use in your bedroom.

What is Feng Shui?

Feng shui began more than 3,000 years ago in ancient China—translated, it literally means wind (feng) water (shui). Since wind and water are both linked to good health in Chinese culture, good feng shui signifies good fortune (and vice versa). Feng shui contains elements of many different branches of study, including physics, philosophy, and astrology.

“Feng shui is concerned with the impact of the environment on human life,” explains Laura Cerrano, feng shui expert in New York City and Los Angeles. It’s the art of placement and understanding how the arrangement of objects in a space affects its inhabitants.

The purpose of feng shui is to create harmony between your energy and the energy within your surroundings. You can practice feng shui by thinking carefully about what objects you bring into your home, how you arrange them, and even how you take care of your space. “If someone isn’t taking care of their house—which is supposed to be a sanctuary—then what is happening within themselves?” Cerrano asks.

HOw to Feng Shui Your Bedroom from better sleep

While the benefits of feng shui haven’t been scientifically proven—yet, notes Cerrano—taking steps to think mindfully about your living space can still have a positive effect. Here are her expert tips for how to feng shui your bedroom for more peaceful sleep.