A small thing can impact a lot. For example, a sleeping position can impact your eyes’ health. The right sleeping position will help to reduce eye pressure by allowing optimal fluid drainage around the eyes.
Right now, we are all spending too much time on screens. Whether it is your phone, laptop, or TV, our eyes are constantly working overtime in this digital age. People are using blue-light-blocking glasses to protect their vision, but we should also think about sleep to prevent eye-related problems.
Not only eyes, a good sleep is the best cure for your body, and the right position can improve your eye health. You just need to know about the correct sleep positions and start using them.
How Sleep Affects Eye Health
Before we talk about the best way to sleep for healthy eyes, let’s first understand why sleep is so important for them.
Right Moisture
When you are sleeping, your eyes stay shut and naturally rehydrate themselves. Your eyes make tears while you sleep to stay moisturized, so you don't wake up with dry, scratchy, or irritated eyes.
If you skip sleep, you will definitely feel it the next morning. Daily screen time puts a lot of strain on our eyes and makes them feel tired and overworked, making it harder to focus, especially if you spend a lot of time looking at screens.
Better Blood Flow
While you're resting up, your body is automatically working to deliver fresh blood and nutrients to your eyes. Think of it as an overnight delivery service for your vision. During sleep, the right position also helps in maintaining healthy blood flow to your whole body.
Glaucoma
Certain sleeping positions can even put extra pressure on your eyes, which may increase the risk of problems like glaucoma. And if your eyes don’t get enough time to relax overnight, you might wake up with blurry vision that takes a while to clear.
Now, we know how sleep affects your eyes. Let's go over the best and worst sleeping positions for keeping them healthy.
Best Sleep Position to Reduce Eye Pressure
Sleeping on Your Back (Best for Eye Health)
Sleeping on your back is the best position for your eyes. Here’s why:
- Reduces Pressure on the Eyes: Your eyes can chill without any pillow pressure squishing them. This means there is less risk of glaucoma-related issues that can mess with your vision.
- Prevents Puffiness: Lying flat helps all that fluid drain properly. This will help to reduce morning eye puffiness.
- Keeps Skin Wrinkle-Free: Your face is not mashed against a pillow all night. This means you are not creating those annoying wrinkles around your eyes while you sleep.
How to Make It Comfortable:
- Use a pillow that supports your neck without tilting your head too much.
- Keep your head slightly elevated to avoid fluid buildup under your eyes.
- Use a silk or satin pillowcase to prevent unnecessary friction around your eyes.
Sleeping on Your Side (Mixed Effects)
Side sleeping is the most common sleep position, but it can have both positive and negative effects on your eyes.
Pros:
- Reduces snoring and improves breathing.
- Helps people with acid reflux and digestion problems.
Cons:
- If you sleep on the same side every night, one eye may experience more pressure, leading to increased fluid retention and puffiness.
- Over time, you might end up with one eye looking more swollen than the other. This is not exactly the look you are going for asymmetric eye swelling over time.
- Some research suggests side sleeping may increase intraocular pressure, which isn’t ideal for people with glaucoma.
Tips for Side Sleepers:
- Try switching sides to prevent pressure buildup on one eye.
- Use a supportive pillow to keep your head aligned with your spine.
- Avoid pressing your face too hard against the pillow to reduce puffiness.
Worst Sleeping Position For Eye Health
Stomach sleeping is the worst position for your eyes. Here’s why:
- Increases Eye Pressure: You are smooshing your face into the pillow, and this increases the pressure inside your eyes. This is basically riskier for glaucoma patients.
- Causes Dry Eyes: Your eyelids may not close completely, leading to moisture loss and dryness.
- Makes Puffiness and Dark Circles Worse: Gravity causes fluid retention around the eyes, making them appear swollen in the morning.
If You Can’t Avoid Sleeping on Your Stomach:
- Use a very thin pillow or no pillow to minimize pressure on your face.
- Consider using an eye mask to help retain moisture.
- Try training yourself to sleep in a different position.
Additional Tips for Eye-Friendly Sleep
To keep your eyes comfortable at night, try using a humidifier in your room. It helps add moisture to the air, so your eyes don’t dry out. Your pillow height is important because the right position will keep your head aligned and reduce pressure around your eyes.
Going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning will help your eyes get proper rest. Drinking plenty of water during the day will keep your eyes naturally moist and healthy.
You should avoid rubbing your eyes when they feel dry or irritated because this can make the problem worse. If your eyes tend to get dry during the night, then wearing a sleep mask will help trap moisture around your eye area.
These simple changes will improve your sleep quality and keep your eyes feeling comfortable throughout the night.
Which Sleep Position is Best for Specific Eye Conditions?
Glaucoma (Head Slightly Raised )
The best way to sleep if you have glaucoma is on your back with your head slightly raised. This helps reduce pressure on your eyes.
Sleeping on your side or stomach is not ideal because it can increase eye pressure, which may make glaucoma worse. If you’re used to these positions, try using a supportive pillow to make back sleeping more comfortable.
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (Dry Eye Syndrome)
The best way to avoid dry eyes is to sleep on your back. Using a humidifier can also help keep moisture in the air, preventing your eyes from drying out.
Sleeping with a fan or air conditioner blowing directly on your face can make dry eyes worse. The air dries out your eyes while you sleep, causing irritation when you wake up. If you need a fan, try pointing it away from your face.
The moving air will desiccate the ocular surface during sleep phases, which can cause irritation in the eye.
Puffy Eyes and Dark Circles
The best way to prevent puffy eyes and dark circles is to sleep on your back. This helps fluid drain properly so your eyes don’t look swollen in the morning.
Sleeping on your stomach can make it worse because fluid collects around your eyes.
You can try using an extra pillow to make your supine positioning more comfortable.
Retinal Conditions
If you have retinal issues, sleeping on your back or switching sides can help keep your eyes comfortable. Changing positions can prevent too much pressure from building up in one eye.
Sleeping on your stomach is not a good idea because it can increase pressure on your eyes, which may make retinal problems worse. If you usually sleep this way, try using a pillow to support a better position.
Final Thoughts
Many people focus on protecting their eyes from screens, but few consider how their sleep position can affect their eye health. Sleeping on your back is the best position to reduce eye pressure, while stomach sleeping is always recommended to avoid. Side sleep is another good position for healthy eyes, but you should shift your side regularly.
A few small changes in your daily sleep habits can improve your sleep quality and eye health. For example, use the right pilot at the right height, keep humidity balanced, and avoid direct air from the fan. Try these simple hacks to improve your eye health.
Sweet dreams and happy eyes!