01 Apr 2 Easy Quick Exercises For Your Tired Eyes
Suddenly our day-to-day lives have turned almost entirely virtual; we are spending more time in front of our screens than ever. Now we get to work out through online yoga and fitness classes, socialise with friends through digital hangouts, take virtual tours of the Louvre or just catch up on your favourite series. Everything is at the tip of our fingertips projecting from a screen. Now more than ever is not only our stiff slouched body in need of some loving stretches, in between, but also our eyes need to take some time out. We have lined up two exercises for your tired eyes.
We all know the feeling after sitting in front of our screens for too long: there’s this slight tension in your head plus our eyes feel dry and tired. Our eyes do feel strained from staring at the blue light screen all day. Even falling asleep at night can be a challenge after long hours in front of a screen. We are well aware that we should take breaks during our work or Netflix sessions, but once we are in the flow, we often forget and only stop when we feel a bit tired and headache-y. Let’s change that.
Here are two exercises that can help you with some relief for your tired eyes:
1, Let’s roll your eyes… in a good way
- Begin this exercise by looking straight ahead.
- Then look up, down, left, and right in that order.
- Hold each position for the duration of one breath — you can inhale to look up and then exhale to look down and so on.
- Next steps: start to make half-circle motions, arcing toward the forehead first, followed by half circles in the direction of the feet. Alternate the breaths for the half circles as you go back and forth so that you inhale in one direction and exhale on the way back.
Repeat once or twice until your eyes feel less tense.
2. Gazing out into the horizon.
This one is super simple and the most enjoyable one. The headline says it all already.
- Take a break from staring at your screen and look away from it completely. Perhaps even get up, that never hurts anyone. If there is a nearby window, you can stare out the window. If you’re not near a window, a point at the far end of your room will have the same effect.
- Focus your eyes on a point on the horizon. The aim here is to engage the muscles that focus the eyes.
- Sometimes focusing on a specific point can feel strenuous. If this is the case for you, perhaps looking at the city skyline or even the ocean in the distance can already be enough to engage the eye muscles.
Again, repeat as often as you feel the need during your screentime.
These two exercises should give you immediate relief. It’s important to give your eyes some well-deserved downtime before you start the next episode of your favourite series or read your next email. Even if you already wear blue light blocker glasses, there is you won’t regret your stretches afterwards. And who knows, you might have some creative idea while you are staring out the window. And remember, that next time, you give your eyes some well deserved time out, don’t forget to give your mind some rest, too. There hasn’t been a better time than now to start your meditation journey. The mental and health benefits will turn your life around. Never done it before? All good. Don’t worry, we won’t leave you hanging here, trying to figure it out on your own. How about you have access to Australia’s best yoga teachers and all just a click away? See below for more details.
Give your mind some well-deserved time out.
Head over to Power Living‘s online yoga studio, yogaholics, and access hundreds of different guided meditations and yoga classes. Start your free 10- day here.
To get you started we have selected a beginner’s guide to meditation for you. Perfect if you haven’t done it before and want to know all the basics. Let Eliza talk you through everything from how to set up, what meditation is and what it does to your brain and body. It will blow your mind. Then you are perfectly set up to dive into any of the many guided meditations on the site. You won’t regret it, promise. Just be warned, it can get addictive. You will be a yogaholic in no time.
Show your tired eyes some lovin’ yogis!
Original article written by MindBodyGreen
