The Impact of Sleep on Your Eye Health

Sleep is restorative for all parts of the body, including your eyes. That’s why your eyes feel uncomfortable when you don’t get enough sleep. Your body needs quality sleep to function properly. Otherwise, it can have some serious consequences for your eyesight. Although every adult’s sleep requirements may vary, most physicians recommend getting seven to nine hours of sleep.

What Happens if You Don’t Get Enough Sleep?

Lack of sleep can make your eyes feel strained, dry and itchy upon waking up. In some cases, it may also cause burst blood vessels and dry eyes. Keep in mind that your eyes work a lot during the day – from when you wake up to when you go to bed. As such, your eyes need to get enough recovery when you’re asleep.

Not getting enough sleep can also create risk factors for eye diseases. According to recent studies, glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve that can be worsened by sleep deprivation. If the optic nerve is not given sufficient time to rest, it may wear down over time and lead to progressive vision loss and blindness. 

How Can You Improve Sleep and Eye Health?

Fortunately, there are many ways to improve sleep and eye health:

• Regulate screen use. Many people use their electronic devices before they go to sleep. The blue tint and bright screen light can overstimulate the eyes and affect the production of melatonin in your brain, the chemical that helps you fall and stay asleep. For this reason, many eye health professionals advise shutting off all digital screens half an hour to two hours before bedtime.
• Exercise regularly. Regularly exercising stimulates your blood vessels and organs, and helps your eyes stay functional and healthy over time. It also maintains an equilibrium of chemicals and fluids in your body, including the melatonin that helps you fall asleep. Thus, people who exercise are likely to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
• Create a schedule. Another way to improve sleep is by creating a sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Eventually, your circadian rhythm, or the natural cycle within your body that is often linked to the sunrise and sunset, will get used to your sleep schedule and help keep you healthy overall.

When you’re looking for licensed and experienced eye care professionals to take care of your eye health, look no further than Six One Six Vision Center. We provide a complete range of eye care services for residents in and around Eagle and Meridian, ID. Call or text us today at (208) 514-1858 or use our scheduling link to book an appointment.