And remember that bay leaves can be brittle and sharp around the edges, so keeping one inside a small cloth pouch or beside the pillow may be more comfortable than sleeping directly on it.
The Bottom Line
A bay leaf under your pillow isn’t a scientifically proven method for controlling dreams, attracting wealth, or guaranteeing protection.
It’s an old symbolic ritual—one connected to ideas of wisdom, dreams, protection, and hope.
And perhaps that’s the real reason the tradition continues.
A single dried leaf costs almost nothing, yet it can represent a powerful message: