How are your eyeballs feeling these days? I ask because I recently watched a video by Robin Ray Green, a pediatric acupuncturist, where she talks about the importance of maintaining eye health during intense computer and screen use. Over the past 20 months, with working from home and teaching weekly yoga classes on Zoom, my screen time has definitely increased. As a result my eyes often feel tight, dry, and fatigued. Your screen time has most likely increased over the Pandemic as well, affecting your eyes, so I thought I’d share an exercise she mentioned.
It’s called the 20-20-20. Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds and look 20 feet away (like out a window). Try it now...
Look out your window, across your room, or down your hall. Allow your eyes to softly focus 20 feet away. Blink your eyes several times. Notice shapes, colors, light, and shadows while you breathe gently and easily. Count out 20 seconds. Notice how you feel.
The 20-20-20 exercise is refreshing for your senses and helps support your ability to shift focus between near and distance vision. Also, when you relax your eyes, your sympathetic nervous system (the one ready to press down hard on the gas pedal for a burst of fight or flight response) hears the message that "All is Well" and it starts to relax. This relaxation response travels to your shoulders and they drop away from your ears. As your shoulders relax and drop down, perhaps your jaw relaxes. And as your jaw relaxes, notice if your neck starts to feel better. All this from a brief 20-20-20 exercise for the eyes!
If your eyes (and nervous system) are craving more attention, I have a short video on YouTube that will help Relax Your Fatigued Eyes.
Leave me a comment if you found the 20-20-20 exercise helpful. I love hearing from you.
Also, please share this exercise with a loved one whose eyes would appreciate it.
XO
Elyce