Digital natives likely won’t remember the days when screensavers were more than just decoration --when flying toasters and 3D pipes were actually necessary to keep images from being burnt into our clunky desktop computer monitors --but with so many of us now working from home, taking online classes, gathering for virtual social hours, bingeing Netflix, and compulsively checking the news and our social media feeds, nearly every generation is now inundated with visual stimuli from screens large and small; when we close our eyes at night we can still see the ghostly likeness of a square of light burning brightly behind our lids.
The eyes are arguably our most important sense organ these days and overuse can lead to weakened vision, muscular tension, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and irritability. Thankfully, the ancient wisdom of yoga and Ayurveda gives us some insight into protecting our eyesight. Here are a few tips:
Set limits on screen time for you and your family. Make compulsory “no electronics” hours first thing in the morning and at least an hour before bedtime. Don’t sleep with your phone near you. Get an old-school alarm clock or if you still want to use your phone’s alarm, keep it across the room. (Bonus: getting up to turn it off will prevent you from snoozing; sleeping into the later morning hours increases moisture in the body which provides a fertile breeding ground for bacteria and viruses.) Take time out midday to eat lunch without devices. Gaze out the window instead and enjoy your food sans distraction.
2. Palming. Every hour take a moment to vigorously rub your hands together to generate heat, then gently place the palms of the hands over your eyes to block out light. Slowly open and close your eyes for at least thirty seconds. The darkness will give the retinas a reprieve and blinking will replenish moisture to dry eyes. You can achieve a similar effect with an eye pillow, which can be a nice addition to restorative poses in a home yoga practice. (If you’re feeling crafty, you can even sew your own with a few scraps of fabric filled with dry rice or lentils and a few drops of your favorite essential oil.) Place over your eyes in a recumbent position, and enjoy the soothing effects on body and mind.
3. Eye exercises. At least once a day or as often as your eyes feel strained, practice the following routine (you may also add the palming technique above between any or all of the sets):
Lines + circles: Keeping your eyes open and your head and neck neutral and still, raise your eyes as high up towards the ceiling as you can without lifting your eyebrows or wrinkling your forehead, then look down towards the floor as low as you can without dropping your chin. Move the eyes back and forth from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock at a steady pace at least ten times. Repeat this action with horizontal movements left and right and diagonal movements upper left/lower right and upper right/lower left (remember to keep your head still). Conclude with ten clockwise circles, smoothly tracing the circumference of your visual field, and ten counter-clockwise circles.
Shifting focus: In a comfortable sitting or standing position, extend your arm out in front of you in a “thumbs up” position. Pick a point as far off in the distance as you can and alternate your focus between that point and the tip of your thumb at least ten times. Keep your focus soft. Then switch to close-range focus. Move your thumb slowly towards the tip of your nose and back out again as you re-extend your arm. Repeat ten times.
4. Candle-gazing meditation. Traditionally, the concentration meditation known as trataka, a yogic practice to purify the physical eyes while encouraging inner spiritual reflection, is done by gazing at a candle in a dark room. Focus your attention on the middle and brightest part of the flame without blinking until your eyes begin to tear. Then close your eyes and keep the image of the flame in your mind’s eye for as long as possible. When the vividness of the after-image fades, start again. Practice for as long as comfortable, and don’t forget to blow out the candle!
5. Inversions. Get some more blood flow to your brain and sense organs by bringing your head below your heart. (Check first with your doctor as some conditions like high-blood pressure, glaucoma, heart disease, and stroke are contraindicated.) Inversions don’t have to be Instagram worthy --a simple forward fold will do. Stand upright and hinge from the hips. Start with a generous bend in the knees so the belly touches the thighs. Hold opposite elbows or place your hands on the floor, shins, or seat of a chair. Let the head dangle, shaking it yes and no. Hang out for ten breaths. Come up slowly to prevent dizziness. Repeat as often as you’d like.
6. Ghee. The benefits of ghee are widely known in Ayurvedic circles and among its chief attribute is its ability to nourish all tissues of the body, including the eyes. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “you want me to put butter in my eyes?!” But this clarified butter removes the milk solids to leave a golden oil capable of deeply penetrating and moisturizing dry eyes, while it’s cooling nature helps to relieve redness. With clean hands, try dabbing a bit of ghee in the corners of the eyes, blinking to spread, right before bed. (Bonus: rub ghee into the hands or other parts of the body that are dry instead of using lotion, as most over-the-counter lotions have an alcohol base that make the moisturizing effects temporary at best and can even lead to further dryness.)
7. Triphala. Triphala is an Ayurvedic formulation composed of three dried and powdered fruits (in Sanskrit: “tri” - three, “phala” fruits) native to India. Like ghee, it too has many benefits. It is a rejuvenative that pacifies all three doshas and has a special affinity for the eyes. You can try taking triphala tablets or powder as a nutritional supplement or even make a tea out of the powder to create an eyewash.
For more information on how and when to incorporate these tips into your diet or routines, schedule an appointment with me for an Ayurvedic health consultation.