Mirrors have always been a part of the regular furniture. For hundreds of years, we’ve been obsessed with the idea of observing ourselves in the mirrors. For example, in ancient Rome, women were willing to pay obscene amounts of money for a mirror; a practice that was even mocked by Roman philosophers, like Lucius Seneca.
Truth to be told, mirrors are basically the only way we can see ourselves in the entirety, so no wonder people were willing to pay as much as needed for a piece of reflective glass.
But, what about nowadays? Mirrors are fairly affordable around the world. Well, because of that, every household has not one, but multiple mirrors. People are even putting huge mirrors in their bedrooms and across other rooms. But, is this really a good idea? Should we sleep across a huge mirror?
In the following paragraphs, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of having a mirror in the bedroom. Why? Well, mirrors in other rooms do not have the same effect issue going on, since we’re not sleeping there. And, it seems that mirrors do impact our sleep quality and duration.
So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Bedrooms and Mirrors
It is well known that the majority of people put large mirrors in their bedrooms. They generally opt for closets with sliding doors covered in mirrors. So, the whole bedroom reflects in the mirrors, not just the bed, for example. The majority of people also tend to place the mirrors in such a way that they face the bed directly.
Now, the reason for this is because people wither want to make their bedroom appear bigger, or they simply like having big mirrors in their household and cannot place them anywhere else. Others think that mirrors improve their sex life or even sleep.
However, considering how many people experience sleep issues and the fact that almost 60% of all Americans seek help for sleep improvement, we would argue that mirrors may be the culprits in this story.
But, to be sure, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of having mirrors in the bedroom.
Benefits of Having Mirrors in The Bedroom
- Mirrors make the room appear bigger – Considering that many people live in small apartments, placing a huge mirror in the bedroom can give the illusion of space and more room.
- Mirrors improve the interior – By placing huge mirrors across the living space, you can improve its appeal and make it more attractive. The interior tends to look more polished and shows that you care about your living space.
- Mirrors improve your own appearance – Being surrounded by mirrors and being forced to look at yourself more often, you may start improving your own appearance. It seems that people who have a lot of mirrors in their home, especially bedroom and closet area, tend to look sharp and stylish.
- Mirrors may improve your sex life – some individuals or couples think that mirrors in the bedroom improve their sex life and their sexual energy. Being able to look in the mirrors and observe the sexual act seems stimulating to a lot of people. So, placing a mirror in the bedroom may spice up your romance.
- Mirrors can make you feel safe (during the day) – If you live alone, you know how weird your days can get just by being alone. Sometimes people get scared by random noises and sounds, mostly because there’s no one else with them to produce those noises. So, by having mirrors, you can make yourself feel safe as you’re able to see around without actually having to move or get up.
Disadvantages of Having Mirrors in The Bedroom
- Mirrors disturb sleep and promote insomnia – it is believed that at night, as the mirrors reflect the bedroom, they bounce off all types of energy, and even deplete your own energy. As a result, they may promote sleeplessness and disrupt the duration and quality of your sleep. The energy disruption caused by mirrors makes the energy in the room completely disturbed, so there’s no required tranquility for your to sleep well.
- Mirrors may promote nightmares – now, even if you do fall asleep in a bedroom with mirrors, you may still not have a pleasant experience. The reason for this is that mirrors, as they disrupt the energy, also promote nightmares and restless sleeping. Some believe that one’s soul leaves the body as we sleep, and the soul sees its own reflection in the mirror. As a result, people have bad dreams; but this more of an anecdotal argument.
- Mirrors can promote sleep drunkenness – if you see yourself in the mirror right after you wake up, you may not even be able to recognize your own reflection. That is because your brain needs time to adapt to being awake, and you’re disrupting the process by looking into the mirror immediately. This is known as sleep drunkenness and it can be disruptive to your visual sensors in the morning.
- Mirrors can be scary at night – even though they can provide a sense of security during the day, mirrors can be pretty scary at night. For example, if you wake up and you stare into the mirror, you may even start to hallucinate and see other people’s faces instead of your own. This mirror illusion was even studied by psychologists and proven to be a completely real and possible phenomenon.
- Mirrors may ‘create’ weird noises – because mirrors bounce off sounds, they may do that during your sleep as well. These noises may wake you up, or make it hard for your to fall asleep. For example, if you snore, the sound of the snoring may bounce off the mirrors and appear even louder, waking you and your partner up.
So, Should You Have a Mirror in The Bedroom?
This topic is not one-size-fits-all. Some people prefer having mirrors in their bedrooms, others don’t. If you already have a mirror in the bedroom, and you don’t see it affecting your sleep quality and duration, then there is no reason for you to remove the mirror.
On the other hand, if you’re considering putting a mirror into your bedroom, make sure to consider the advantages and disadvantages of that choice. If you’ve never had a mirror in the bedroom, you may experience the negative aspects of having it now. You can always place the mirror inside your closet to avoid any potential sleep-disrupting issues.
And finally, if you already have it or you want a bedroom mirror, but don’t want it to affect your sleep, here’s what you can do;
For example, if the mirror is facing your bed directly, make sure to simply cover the mirror with a piece of fabric, sheets (in case of a bigger mirror), a scarf, or anything similar before you go to bed. This should work well against the mirror reflecting and noise bouncing off, which surely could disturb your sleep otherwise.
Where Else Not To Place a Mirror?
Apart from the bedroom, there are a few places in your home you should also avoid in regards to mirror placement. For example;
- Avoid placing a mirror across another mirror– this especially applies to the bedroom, but also other rooms in your home. By having two mirrors facing each other, you can create a rather unsettling environment to be in. It can affect your orientation, visual perception, and perspective. It is best to avoid this practice, as much as appealing it may sound.
- Avoid placing the mirror across the door – by placing a mirror across the door (especially at the end of the hallway) you may cause some visual disruptions. It can be weird and creepy to just open the door and immediately see your own reflection. This can be even weirder at night, so make sure to avoid such mirror placement.
- Avoid placing the mirror in cluttered rooms – obviously, it would be best to avoid having clutter in your home in the first place, but sometimes the clutter just piles up during a hectic week. To avoid your home looking even more cluttered than it is avoids placing large mirrors in clutter-prone parts of your home. The reflection in the mirror will make your home/room appear messier than it is.
Final Thoughts
Now, to say whether you should have a mirror in your bedroom or not can be pretty difficult. We do not have a definite answer to this question, because different people have different preferences. What we can tell you is the following; if you want to buy a mirror for your bedroom or any other room in the house, make sure to;
- Go for brand new, high-quality mirrors
- Avoid buying second-hand/vintage mirrors since they can carry weird vibes from previous owners
- Make sure the size of the mirror suits your room decor and the purpose of course
If you do already have a mirror in the bedroom, and you’ve noticed some sleeping issues, we recommend you test the theory of mirrors disturbing your sleep. Cover the mirrors for a few nights and see whether your sleep improves.
If you’re re-decorating (or decorating for the first time) your bedroom, make sure to follow the basic feng shui rules; ensure that your bed isn’t placed directly by the door or in front of the door. Also, avoid placing the bed under the window, or next to the wall that neighbors the toilet or the kitchen. And, if you do want a mirror in the bedroom, we recommend you to simply follow your gut; if you like the idea, go for it, if not, then simply place the mirror elsewhere in the home.
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