Rest your eyes with these simple eye health exercises

Do you work at a computer? Or you read a lot? The first eye health exercise you need to learn is to look away from the page or screen at regular intervals. Then you can proceed with these other exercises.

Palming

Eye palming is good therapy for your eyes, but it also relaxes the whole body. It allows you to stop for a few moments each day and rest the way you should.

1. Close your eyes.
2. Relax your hands.
3. Cup each hand slightly and place one over each eye, making sure not to touch your eyelids.
4. Breathe deeply.
5. Sit this way for a few minutes while you continue to breathe in a relaxed way.

Hot and cold palming

This variation intensifies the degree of relaxation.

1. Rinse a clean washcloth in warm water; wring it out and place over closed eyes for about 20 seconds.
2. Then do the same with cold water.
3. Repeat three times.

If you’re doing this eye health exercise in the morning, finish off with a cold cloth. If you prefer to do it in the evening, finish with a warm cloth.

A light bath

If your eyes are sensitive to light, try this gentle therapy.

1. Go outside when it's sunny and sit or stand in a relaxed way. Close your eyes.
2. Turn your face to the sun.
3. Remain this way for a few minutes. Move your face so your closed eyes are exposed to the sunlight from every angle.
4. If it’s cloudy, do this exercise about one metre away from an indoor light source.

Enjoy the warmth of your hands

Warm hands can perform small miracles.

1. Rub your palms together rapidly to create some heat.
2. Place your hands over your eyes.
3. Breathe deeply and enjoy this quiet time of warmth and darkness.

Eye yoga

The great yogis figured out a few effective eye health exercises a long time ago. As you move through each step, try to look as far as possible in each direction.

1. Hold up your index finger in front of your face.
2. Slowly, move it closer to your eyes.
3. Hold it there and focus on it.
4. Exhale while you lower the finger to touch your nose; follow it with your eyes the whole time.
5. Breathe in slowly, and while focusing on the finger, move it as far away from you as possible.
6. Repeat once more.
7. Close your eyes and rest for a few moments.

Or

1. Hold your head still and move only your eyeballs to look up, down, left and right.
2. Bring your gaze back to the centre.
3. Look towards the top left, bottom right, top right and bottom left.
4. Bring your gaze back to the centre.
5. Roll your eyeballs in a clockwise direction.
6. Return your gaze back to the centre.
7. Close your eyes and rest for a few moments.

An exercise for dry eyes

1. Relax the muscles of your face and jaw.
2. Gently open and close your eyelids 20 times.

Goodbye, tired eyes!