Simple yoga eye exercises that will bring the twinkle back into your eyes.
If you spend hours before your computer, you would know the tiredness that seeps into your eyes making them water. Suppose you are told that just few minutes of simple eye-yoga can kiss that tiredness goodbye? Sounds too good to be true? Well, actually it is good and it is all true!
CARING FOR YOUR EYES
Our eyes, just like any part of our body, need constant care and attention. With age, the eye muscles become weaker, which gives rise to various eye ailments.
It does not help that most of us get so caught up with our work, especially when we are seated in front of a computer that we forget to blink our eyes. Blinking lubricates our eyes, and by not doing this regularly, our eyes dry up – leading to that itchy, irritating feeling.
But help is at hand when it comes to caring for your eyes. For starters, every hour take deep breaths for 5 minutes with your eyes closed. Also, follow the 20-20-20 rule – look 20 feet away into the distance, for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes. Whenever your eyes feel tired, just splash some water on your face for instant relief.
And then there’s yoga! A yoga routine complete with asanas, pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation helps in achieving relaxing the eyes. So why not make these exercises a part of your daily life?
Here are a few poses that may be safely practiced to relax your eyes:
Concentrated gazing (Trataka)
Hold your right hand in front of you, ensuring it’s a your eye level. Extend the thumb, folding back other fingers lightly. Focus on your thumbnail for 10 seconds. Now, switch your focus to the tip of your nose for 10 seconds. Repeat this at least 5 times. Now switch to your left hand and repeat this exercise.
This simplistic exercise helps your eyes to switch focus from distant to close viewing. It stimulates the eye muscles and strengthens them.
Mind purification (Nasagra-Drishti)
For Nasagra Drishti, tilt your head slightly backwards by around 30 degrees. Now focus both your eyes on the tip of your nose without blinking your eyes. You can stay in this position for 2 minutes, or till you are comfortable holding this pose. Repeat it 5 times
This exercise helps your eyes in focusing on near-distance objects. It also helps in concentration and relaxation.
Gazing at the eyebrow centre (Bhrumadhya Drishti)
This asana also means ‘inner gaze’ in Sanskrit. Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes open. Turn your eyes’ focus to the base of the nose, thus creating a cross-eyed position.
Raise the eyes slightly, so that this cross-eyed gaze now falls directly between the eyebrows. Close your eyelids and concentrate on this point inwardly, for a few minutes.
Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
Lie on your back, with your feet slightly apart and palms facing upwards. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, for 5 minutes. Slowly wiggle your fingers and toes, flex your wrists and knees and move from side to side, before sitting up.
This exercise helps relax the entire body, including the brain and the eye.
Yoga, long hailed as the perfect lifestyle for good health and peace, has many other asanas that help your vision. But start with these simple exercises before graduating to the next level. And believe us when we say this, your eyes will love you for it.
