Sitting in front of the computer for 8-12 hours can have different impacts on your body. One of the first discomforts suffered is eye fatigue , followed by headaches and backaches . By performing simple yoga exercises regularly, you can effectively reduce those discomforts that come with prolonged computer use.
Medical study:
A study was conducted in a software development company in India, it was requested with the help of 300 participants. Half had to include yoga practice in their daily work routine, while the others were placed on a waiting list as a 'control' group. For two months, the “yoga” group practiced different yoga exercises for one hour a day for five days a week. On the other hand, the control group pursued other recreational activities during the same time allocated to the yoga group.
At the start of the study, each participant rated the genes and level of discomfort related to eyestrain .
At the end of the study, eye strain discomforts were found to be significantly reduced in the “yoga” group, while the control group reported no significant changes in their eye problem.
The yoga group noted improvements in the following symptoms:
- Irritation
- shooting eyes
- Blurred vision
- dry eyes
- Redness
The researchers reported that the significant improvement in eye strain in the yoga group was caused by increased relaxation. When the human body is in a relaxed state, the eyes instinctively blink more often , reducing eye strain.
Practicing yoga:
If you, too, are considering performing some simple yoga exercises to reduce eye strain, here's the program for the study:
- 10 minutes of regulated breathing
- 15 minutes of yoga posture
- 10 minute visual exercises
- 10 minute joint exercises
- 15 minute guided relaxation
You can choose to perform an abbreviated version of these yoga exercises during lunch breaks, before you start work, or whenever you feel the need.
Yoga exercises for the eyes:
Here are the specific eye exercises that have been shown to be very effective in reducing eye strain:
Eye movements:
Sit down and start moving your eyes by moving your gaze in 8 different directions. Use your thumb to direct your gaze, following these instructions:
- Up down
- Top-left
- Bottom-left
- Top-right
- bottom-right
- Counter-clockwise rotation
- Clockwise rotation
The flame :
For this exercise, you will need a candle. Place the lit candle at eye level. Start by staring at the flame, without blinking. After a minute, begin to de-focus and look at various points further away than the flame. Perform the exercise several times.
Eye warming:
Sitting in your chair, rub your hands together to warm your palms. When they are hot, close your eyes and place both hands on them. This will block external light sources and allow the eyes to absorb heat from your hand. Take 10 deep, relaxing breaths and repeat the exercise if necessary.
To further enhance the positive effects of these exercises, wear blue light blocking glasses when you are in front of your screens!