In today’s fast paced and hectic world it is very common to miss out on getting enough restful sleep each night. The challenge of balancing proper rest with everything else that needs to get done in a day can be very tricky. However, many are not aware that not getting enough rest can wreak havoc on your eyesight. While it is obvious that lack of sleep can cause dark circles to appear under your eyes, not getting enough rest can interfere with your eye health.
Vision problems caused by lack of sleep
Studies have shown that the eye needs at least seven hours of sleep per night to properly replenish. Without enough time to revive themselves, your eyes cannot work at their full potential.
A common side effect associated with lack of sleep is eye spasms. Have you ever had one of those mysterious twitches in your eye that just won’t go away? Those eye twitches occur when you have an involuntary spasm in your eyelid. These involuntary spasms are known as myokymia. Eye spasms should not be painful or do damage to your vision; however, they can be very aggravating and disruptive. Lack of sleep is one of the leading causes of eye spasms. Thankfully, they are not a serious problem and can easily be corrected by making sure you get enough quality rest each night.
Over time, however, lack of sleep can lead to many different consequences, including popped blood vessels in the eye due to eye strain. For example, a shortage of sleep can cause dry eye. When tears do not adequately lubricate your eyes, dry eye can set in and you may experience some pain, light sensitivity, itching, redness, or even blurred vision.
Extended amounts of sleep deprivation have also been attributed to other serious eye conditions such as Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (AION). This usually occurs in middle aged to elderly individuals who suffer from a history of sleep apnea. This condition is an inflammatory disease of the blood vessels that occurs especially with aging. Over time, damage to the optic nerve from insufficient blood supply to the eye can eventually cause vision loss.
Suggestions for better rest
Studies have shown not getting enough sleep can cause serious eye health problems. To avoid complications associated with insufficient rest, make sure that you make sleep a priority. If you have difficulty finding time, it is suggested to make a plan to schedule your sleep and stick to it. If you find that falling asleep at night is the problem, there are various options to use to remedy the situation.
A method that works for many is reading a book in bed until you become drowsy. Some other suggestions include not exercising before bed, reducing stress levels, and limiting caffeine intake during the day.
It is important to remember that your eyes are kept busy all day long and sleeping is the only time they have to really get a break and replenish themselves, so make sure they get their rest so you can continue to have healthy vision.
Blue light has a dark side
Not all colours of light have the same effect. Blue wavelengths which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood, seem to be the most disruptive at night. And the proliferation of electronics with screens, as well as energy-efficient lighting, is increasing our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially after sundown.
While light of any kind can suppress the secretion of melatonin, blue light at night does so more powerfully. Melatonin is a hormone that influences circadian rhythms, and there’s some experimental evidence that lower melatonin levels might explain the association with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Tips to avoid blue light
Protect yourself from blue light at night
Use dim red lights for night lights. Red light has the least power to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin.
Avoid looking at bright screens beginning two to three hours before bed.
If you work a night shift or use a lot of electronic devices at night, consider wearing blue-blocking glasses or installing an app that filters the blue/green wavelength at night.
Expose yourself to lots of bright light during the day, which will boost your ability to sleep at night, as well as your mood and alertness during daylight.
Invited speaker-Loyola college-Sleep & Eye health 2018
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