How to Soothe Tired Eyes and Wake Up
Wash your face with cold water., Try submerging your face in bowl of cold water., Apply a cold water eye mask., Apply a warm, wet compress., Try lubricating eye drops., Use antihistamine drops., Use eye drops that constrict blood vessels., Ask your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash your face with cold water.
Splashing cold water on your face doesn’t actually wake you up directly.
Instead, this initially causes constriction or narrowing of facial arteries, so you are actually decreasing the blood flow to your face.
This lack of blood flow sets off a nervous system reflex to become more alert and fight to get out of this environment.
Reduction of blood flow to the eyes reduces inflammation to the eyes.
Natural tears are produced when your eyes are closed during this period of time.
With prolonged periods of being awake, eyes can become dry and tired.
Strategies that increase eye closure reduce dryness and spread tear film.
Test the water temperature before splashing.
The water should be cold but not freezing.
Splash the water at least three times to get results.
Keep in mind, however, that you will only get slight relief from this method.
Too few splashes may cause no change at all. -
Step 2: Try submerging your face in bowl of cold water.
Intensify your cold water wake-up by putting cold water in a bowl and putting your face into it for 30 seconds.
Take a deep breath before submerging your face in the water.
Take your face out of the water as soon as you need to get air.
If any pain or other symptoms occur, stop this method immediately and contact your doctor. , To revive your eyes, give your eyes a soothing treatment.
This will also give you a chance to rest your eyes by keeping them closed for a few minutes.
Fold a small towel into the size of an eye mask that covers both eyes.
Run cold water over this towel.
Wring out the towel completely.
Relax on a bed or sofa and lay the towel so that it covers both eyes.
Take off the towel after 2-7 minutes.
Repeat as needed. , A warm compress can help relax the muscles around your eyes.
This can help relieve that tired feeling.
To make a simple compress, moisten a clean washcloth or a few clean paper towels with warm (but not hot) water.
Lay the cloth over your eyes for a few minutes until you feel soothed.You can also make a warm compress with a tea bag.
Steep the bag in some warm water, then squeeze the excess from the tea bag.
Apply the bag onto the tired eye. , There are several eye drop varieties that may soothe eye strain.
Lubricating eye drops work by soothing tired eyes.
They also add natural tear elements that hydrate eyes.These require frequent applications.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use.
If you have a chronic condition that may be contributing to tired eyes, speak with your eye doctor to acquire a correct diagnosis for your condition. , These drops block histamine release from the body's natural defense against allergens.
Many antihistamine eye drops are available over the counter.
Antihistamine drops can cause dryness of the eyes, mouth, nose and throat.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use.
Alaway and Zaditor are two good over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops. , Eye drops such as Visine constrict blood vessels in the eyes, reducing red eyes.
Some brands contain lubricating drops to help keep eye moist.These types of eye drops can cause rebound redness.
Once the drops wear off, the blood vessels may dilate more than usual, making the redness worse.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use. , Restasis helps chronic dry eyes due to a disease called keratoconjunctivitis sicca by stopping certain immune factors.
These drops are only available by prescription, so you should talk with your doctor about whether they're right for you.Side effects of Restasis may include burning, itching, redness, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light.
It can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use.
Pregnant women should not use Restasis drops.Restasis may take up to 6 weeks (or longer, in some cases) to relieve your dry eyes. -
Step 3: Apply a cold water eye mask.
-
Step 4: Apply a warm
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Step 5: wet compress.
-
Step 6: Try lubricating eye drops.
-
Step 7: Use antihistamine drops.
-
Step 8: Use eye drops that constrict blood vessels.
-
Step 9: Ask your doctor about cyclosporine (Restasis) drops.
Detailed Guide
Splashing cold water on your face doesn’t actually wake you up directly.
Instead, this initially causes constriction or narrowing of facial arteries, so you are actually decreasing the blood flow to your face.
This lack of blood flow sets off a nervous system reflex to become more alert and fight to get out of this environment.
Reduction of blood flow to the eyes reduces inflammation to the eyes.
Natural tears are produced when your eyes are closed during this period of time.
With prolonged periods of being awake, eyes can become dry and tired.
Strategies that increase eye closure reduce dryness and spread tear film.
Test the water temperature before splashing.
The water should be cold but not freezing.
Splash the water at least three times to get results.
Keep in mind, however, that you will only get slight relief from this method.
Too few splashes may cause no change at all.
Intensify your cold water wake-up by putting cold water in a bowl and putting your face into it for 30 seconds.
Take a deep breath before submerging your face in the water.
Take your face out of the water as soon as you need to get air.
If any pain or other symptoms occur, stop this method immediately and contact your doctor. , To revive your eyes, give your eyes a soothing treatment.
This will also give you a chance to rest your eyes by keeping them closed for a few minutes.
Fold a small towel into the size of an eye mask that covers both eyes.
Run cold water over this towel.
Wring out the towel completely.
Relax on a bed or sofa and lay the towel so that it covers both eyes.
Take off the towel after 2-7 minutes.
Repeat as needed. , A warm compress can help relax the muscles around your eyes.
This can help relieve that tired feeling.
To make a simple compress, moisten a clean washcloth or a few clean paper towels with warm (but not hot) water.
Lay the cloth over your eyes for a few minutes until you feel soothed.You can also make a warm compress with a tea bag.
Steep the bag in some warm water, then squeeze the excess from the tea bag.
Apply the bag onto the tired eye. , There are several eye drop varieties that may soothe eye strain.
Lubricating eye drops work by soothing tired eyes.
They also add natural tear elements that hydrate eyes.These require frequent applications.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use.
If you have a chronic condition that may be contributing to tired eyes, speak with your eye doctor to acquire a correct diagnosis for your condition. , These drops block histamine release from the body's natural defense against allergens.
Many antihistamine eye drops are available over the counter.
Antihistamine drops can cause dryness of the eyes, mouth, nose and throat.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use.
Alaway and Zaditor are two good over-the-counter antihistamine eye drops. , Eye drops such as Visine constrict blood vessels in the eyes, reducing red eyes.
Some brands contain lubricating drops to help keep eye moist.These types of eye drops can cause rebound redness.
Once the drops wear off, the blood vessels may dilate more than usual, making the redness worse.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use. , Restasis helps chronic dry eyes due to a disease called keratoconjunctivitis sicca by stopping certain immune factors.
These drops are only available by prescription, so you should talk with your doctor about whether they're right for you.Side effects of Restasis may include burning, itching, redness, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light.
It can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Follow the instructions on the packaging for correct use.
Pregnant women should not use Restasis drops.Restasis may take up to 6 weeks (or longer, in some cases) to relieve your dry eyes.
About the Author
Teresa Edwards
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
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