From Sore Eyes To Backaches: How Eye Exercise Breaks Can Help
Sometimes it seems like there are very few jobs left that don't involve staring at a screen for at least part of the day. And while computers and smartphones have made a lot of things, from shopping to research, more convenient, they aren't always kind to your health.
Are Your Aches Caused By Eyestrain?
If you spend a lot of time looking at a screen, you should be on the lookout for symptoms of eyestrain. And they aren't always what you might think, either. In addition to sore eyes or blurry vision, eyestrain can strain the muscles that help you focus, causing headaches; this, combined with changes in posture to put your screen in better focus, can also lead to aches and pains in your back, neck, and shoulders.
How Can Breaks Prevent Eyestrain?
Thousands of years ago, most people would have spent time looking at all sorts of things – and, crucially, at things all sorts of distances away. One reason that staring at a screen can cause eyestrain is that your eyes become fatigued keeping focus on a constant distance. Just as it's important to get up and stretch and to work more exercise into your day if you spend a lot of time sitting, it's a good idea to give your eyes periodic breaks and do a simple eye exercise if you spend a lot of time in front of a screen.
How Often Should You Take Breaks?
The most important thing is to set up a schedule that you can stick with. If you're the kind of person who has trouble coming back to a task after a break, for instance, you may want to set your breaks farther apart or be more flexible in your scheduling. However, many people find the 20-20-20 system effective at preventing eyestrain. Since the breaks in this system are so brief, they should be minimally disruptive no matter what your working on.
In the 20-20-20 system, you take a break every 20 minutes; during this break, you do a very easy eye exercise. Pick an object approximately 20 feet away – farther is better than closer – and focus on it for 20 seconds. Even though this doesn't sound like much time, the act of changing your focal distance gives your eyes a little break and helps relieve tension in the muscles used to focus.
What If You Still Have Symptoms?
If taking breaks doesn't help with your eyestrain, it's possible that you need glasses or that your current glasses are not the right prescription. When you go in for an eye exam, be sure to tell your optometrist how much time you spend in front of a screen; you may benefit from having lenses that are based on the distance to your screen rather than traditional reading glasses.
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