Welcome to our Day 3 of our "10 days of self-care" & thank you for putting you first & joining us.
Today, our focus will be on giving our eyes a break within our technology-heavy world. Try to set 15 minutes a time to try one of the ideas below. With our focus being to give your eyes a break, this blog post isn't going to be a long one!
The 20-20-20 rule
On days where you can't give your eyes much of a break (e.g. through working on a computer), taking a break from screens every 20 minutes and looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds can help minimise eye strain.
Digital eyestrain can dry our eyes out and this can in turn place extra burden on the muscles that help our eyes to focus. We do not blink as fast when looking at screens which is how the eyes dry out quicker. Some people find that using eye drops recommended by their optician helps. Using 'dark mode' on phones etc also helps to reduce blue light exposure which in turn can help with eye strain.
You may also experience headaches and/or eyeaches through sustained periods of intense screen time.
Ways to give your eyes a break & listen
- Listen to music - A lot of us do listen to music through our phones which obviously involves some screen time, but using screens minimally to set a feel-good playlist going or some of your favourite songs then putting your phone aside can be a great way to give your eyes a break and promote your mental health.
- Tune in to a radio station - With the help of plug-in radios and devices such as Amazon Alexa and the Google Dot, we can tune in effortlessly to a wide range of radio stations, without having to use a screen.
- Listen to a podcast series or make a "queue" of episodes that catch your eye, to listen to - Through apps such as Apple iTunes and Spotify, again, there are so many podcast genres to choose from. You can even tie this in with self-care by choosing to listen to ones that promote your mental health at the same time as giving your eyes a break. Podcasts from the mental health genre to maybe give a try are: Jay's Shetty's which explore many things such as work, love and self and Fearne Cotton's " Happy Place" Podcast. Spotify's podcasts charts are also updated daily.
- Take a walk in nature - and absorb the sights and sounds around you. When you take all distractions away and really hone in on the sounds around you, it's amazing what you can hear.
- Listen to friends & family - Having a conversation with a friend or family member and taking the time to listen can promote our mental health in many ways. Also, by listening to someone we care about, we often feel good in ourselves for helping others.
- Try meditation - Meditation is definitely increasing in today's society as a way to put time aside for yourself and also give your eyes a break. This may even be part of our 10 days of self-care! Apps such as "Headspace" and "Calm" are great ways to give meditation a go and also come with free trials, which you can cancel at any time. Again, although this may involve a screen to access, once you have pressed "play", screen time needed is very limited, especially when a lot of our earphones also have controls which don't require you to look at a screen.
Are there any songs, audiobooks or podcasts that you love and/or that have helped you? We'd love to know what they are and why! Comment below.
We look forward to you joining us for Day 4 of 10 days of self-care tomorrow!
Enjoy the rest of your day and be proud of the fact that you have managed to put some time aside for you!
Disclaimer: As always, this post is from our Social Media & Marketing Specialist, Amy's, experience of living with a permanent ileostomy, Crohn's Disease and from what she has researched. Nothing in our blog posts should be taken as medical advice. It's always best to consult a medical professional if you have queries or concerns.
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