Indian customs related to sleeping postures have a strong impact on human body. Sleep is a compound process of re-establishment and renewal for the body. Hindus always go to sleep with their heads turned towards the south or towards east, and this immemorial practice finds support in the Puranas. The majority of the Hindus believe that a violation of this principle may result in ill health.

Myths of Sleeping Directions
According to traditional beliefs, due to the positive vibrations coming from the east, the "chakras" in the body start rotating in the proper directions instead of the contradictory directions. Since the movement of the "chakras" in the body takes place in a correct sleeping direction, the elements generates in the body because of sleep do not cause any harm to the individual. The individual gets calm sleep.

The "subtle-silver cord" (life-giving connection from the atma down to the physical body) keeps the body and subtle-body of an individual attached. Till the individual continues to his or her destiny, it remains connected through this subtle-silver cord with the physical body. When an individual falls asleep, his/her subtle-body leaves the physical body and no matter where it goes, it remains connected to the physical body with the subtle-silver cord. Hence, it can come back to the same physical body. This phenomenon takes place in meditation too. This cord breaks at the time of death.

When Parvati created a boy from turmeric, to guard her while she was taking bath, Lord Shiva returned and he found a stranger denying him to enter. He struck off the boy`s head in anger. Parvati broke down in utter sorrow and to calm her, Lord Shiva sent out his squad to get the head of any sleeping being that was facing the north direction. The squad found a sleeping elephant and brought back its detached head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Hindus believe that sleeping in north direction will cause death. As per traditions, North is the direction of "Yama" (God of death) and only a dead body must be placed in that position.

Scientific Reasons of Sleeping Directions
The planet Earth has a magnetic pole stretched from north to south with the positive pole at the north and the negative pole at the south. The health scientists inform us that people also have a parallel magnetic extend with the positive pole at the head and the negative one at the feet. When one puts down his or head on the north side, the two positive sides prevent each other and there is a fight between the two. It is also the believed that by sleeping with the head placed towards the east, one may be enabled to acquire knowledge. This happens by the magnetic and other forces passing over the surface of the earth from east to west tending to stimulate the brain activity in a gentle and healthy way.

The custom of placing a corpse with the head pointed to the south before its cremation takes place. This generally tends to show that the vital magnetism in the body is completely extinct and hence it is only fit to be burnt.

Effects of Proper Sleeping Directions
There are a lot of benefits of correct sleeping positions and these are as follows:


•Head to East: It is considered as fortunate. For a peaceful sleep, it is recommended to drink milk with honey and to reiterate a few mantras to relax the mind before sleep.


•Head to South: It is also considered as lucky. It is considered as the best position for sleeping. There is a common attraction in this position and individual get up fit, fresh and free.


•Head to West: It is considered as unsafe position. It brings very bad dreams and troubled sleep. It sucks individual"s positive vibrations while he or she sleeps. The person will lose 50 percent of his or her strength of mind and his or her physical and mental health will suffer.


•Head to North: It is in the line with the earth`s magnetic field and it creates trouble in human bodies which has high iron (haemoglobin) substance. It also brings diseases and affects the brain.

Sleeping Postures have a strong consequence on an individual"s physical and mental well-being.