by Matt Weik
I’ve heard of a ton of odd exercise routines and trends, but eye yoga one may rank up there beside goat yoga. I’m not here to discount the potential benefits that eye yoga may produce, nor throw shade at yoga in general. I know plenty of people who swear by yoga and do it multiple times a week – such as hot yoga.
That being said, eye yoga is totally different from your downward dog pose in your local yoga class and may prove to be extremely beneficial for those who want to focus on the health of their eyes.
A Quick Eye Yoga History Lesson
Eye yoga is the latest trend in the health and wellness industry to hit the headlines and be a talking point (if this is the first time you’re hearing about it, I’ll take credit for breaking the story then). Although eye yoga is a new trend, it actually dates back to age-old yoga philosophy itself, in relation to asanas (yoga poses), pranayama (exercise of breathing), and meditation.
Modern scientists have recently started to explore the realm of eye yoga with benefits such as improved eye focus and a better sense of calmness. With the wave of uncertainty along with the pandemic, eye yoga is one of the things that has made it to the trending zone in the industry. People around the world are glued to their laptop or mobile phone screens, and remote working has just made it more relevant.
With all of the stress and anxiety that people are going through today, especially with many still looking for employment after the pandemic turned the world upside down, eye yoga could be precisely what people need to stay calm and focused throughout the day.
What is Eye Yoga?
Eye yoga is the movement that claims to strengthen and condition the muscles present in our eye region. People who practice eye yoga have claimed that it has improved their vision, decreased eye strain, and even cured dry eye symptoms.
There are some really effective benefits of eye yoga that many people are unaware of. Between standard poses that improve your eye health and specialized poses for your eyes, eye yoga can help you put less stress on your eyes which can help improve vision and comfort.
Benefits of Eye Yoga
More than 50% of adults suffer from eye strain, and most of it is because of digital eye strain caused by the bright screen of computers, laptops, and mobile phones. While technology can be an asset in our lives and make things extremely convenient, especially when trying to get or send information instantly, we are seeing more and more issues arising as people become glued to their devices.
Eye yoga is said to have some proven benefits that can help you put less stress on your eyes and assist in combating the effects of constantly having your face in front of a screen.
Here are three benefits that you may experience through the use and practice of eye yoga.
1. Improves Your Vision
According to a 2013 study, a group of 60 people noted that simple eye yoga exercises improved response time to what the other study group was seeing. Hence, eye exercise can help you to identify what you are looking at more quickly.
2. Relieves Eye Strain
Eye yoga may relieve symptoms of eye strain caused due to a prolonged period of starting at a lit screen. A study showed that eight weeks of eye yoga could make eyes feel less fatigued and tired.
3. Body Awareness and Well-being
Besides the physical health benefits, eye yoga can draw one’s attention inward. This can help cultivate a keener sense of inner presence, well-being, and body awareness.
Simple Eye Yoga Exercises
Enough with the details, you’re probably wondering what exercises you’ll need to do in order to achieve these benefits so that you can start implementing them if you wished to improve your eye health.
Some of the most common and effective eye yoga exercises are done by completing the following:
• Keep looking up and down deliberately and then left and right the same way. Repeat the process several times.
• Warm up your palms and then place them over your eyelids as you close your eyes.
• Close your eyes for several seconds so that it increases the moisture present on your eyeballs.
• Choose an object and then stare at it without blinking. This eye yoga exercise helps you to focus and build concentration.
These exercises are primarily performed in the morning and then many times through the day and even before you sleep at night. Doing eye yoga can be performed anywhere as it only involves your eyes. Eye yoga is especially important if you spend a significant amount of time at your desk looking at a screen all day.
I would recommend doing your eye yoga session in a private place as doing it around others may cause some weird looks and people wondering if there’s something wrong with you (but that’s just my opinion and two cents).
