Are eyeball exercises genuine in improving vision?
Give your peepers some love with these eye-yoga moves! Though it's unsure if they'll improve your vision or correct eye issues, these exercises might help reduce strain and give your eyes a much-needed break. Let's dive in and see what this eye-exercise trend is all about.
Hoowing it Down: What's Eye Yoga?
Eye yoga, or yogic eye exercises, is a series of movements aimed at working those peepers. Practitioners often engage in eye yoga with the hope of boosting their vision and correcting problems like astigmatism. But does it really work? Let's find out.
Peeping into Benefits
While there's not a ton of research on eye yoga, let's take a closer look at what we do know about its potential benefits:
Putting a Stop to Strain
Since eyestrain is commonly related to stress, eye yoga might help bestow some relaxation. Firstly, it can ease stress levels, and secondly, it may strengthen your eyes by stimulating the muscles that move them. A small 2020 study supports this, as the practice helped alleviate eye fatigue in a group of optometry students!
Sharpening Your Focus
Eye yoga might help improve your concentration and focus, which can give your brain’s response to the world around you a boost. In a 2013 study, participants showed quicker response times after performing simple eye exercises!
Rolling Over the Details: How to Practice Eye Yoga
Ready to give eye yoga a try? Here are some peep-pleasing exercises to prime those peepers:
- Eye rolling: Sit tall, take a deep breath, then gently move your eyes up, right, down, left, and back up without moving your head. Repeat as desired.
- Focusing: Sit up straight, extend one arm in front of you, and look at your thumb. Slowly move your arm toward you, keeping your head still. Repeat this several times.
- Focus shifting: Similar to the above, but move your arm left and right this time.
- Blinking: Sit up straight and quickly blink 10-15 times, then close your eyes and take slow deep breaths for 20-30 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
- Figure eight: Trace a large 8 on the floor with your eyes, going clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Palming: Rub your hands together, place palms over your eyes, and breathe deeply while focusing on the darkness of your palms.
Can't See the Forest for the Trees? Other Ways to Keep your Eyes Healthy
If eye yoga is not your vibe, there are plenty of other strategies you can employ to maintain healthy peepers:
- Regularly visit your optometrist.
- Stay hydrated!
- Consider blue light glasses if you spend a lot of time in front of screens.
- Take regular breaks from screens.
- Protect your eyes from harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses.
- Include carrots, oranges, and leafy greens in your diet.
- If you smoke, try to quit.
Wrapping it Up
Skepticism is warranted regarding claims that eye yoga cures all eye woes, but it may help ease eyestrain and improve focus. While it’s not a replacement for overall eye care, it's relatively safe to give it a go if you're curious. Establishing an eye yoga practice is a breeze, with many simple exercises at the ready.
Just remember that eye yoga is not a magic bullet for all vision issues and it’s important to consult an eye doctor regularly if you experience problems like ongoing eye pain, strain, or vision issues.
Yoga and optometry may seem unrelated, but incorporating eye yoga exercises alongside a balanced diet rich in nutrients might offer additional benefits for eye health. Symptoms such as strain could potentially be alleviated through regular eye yoga practice, as suggested by some studies. However, it's sure not a substitute for regular visits to an optometrist for comprehensive eye care.
