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Light and sound are two of the most common stimuli that can cause you to have a restless sleep. If you want to sleep better at night by removing external sources of disturbance, an eye pillow can be a good option to consider. This article covers some eye pillow benefits and whether or not they could be the right fit for you.
If you’re not one of those lucky people who can comfortably sleep through an earthquake, you might need some accessories in bed that can help you sleep better.
What Is an Eye Pillow?
An eye pillow is a small pillow that goes over your face and covers your eyes. It can come in different styles and designs, including some with straps to keep the pillow secure on your face when you sleep.
Eye pillows can be thought of as sleeping masks, except instead of a piece of soft fabric, you get a small pillow to cover your eyes and part of your face.
Some eye pillows come with fragrances to give you a relaxed, scented experience. Other pillows can be frozen or heated up to regulate your body temperature. The type of stuffing and the fabric of the cover both play an important part in deciding which eye pillow would be the best fit for you.
When Are Eye Pillows Used?
Eye pillows can be used in a number of different ways. Besides sleeping, eye pillows can also be used for activities like yoga, meditation and aromatherapy. The small design of these pillows, along with the option to customize the filling within them, gives you the independence to choose an eye pillow for your specific requirements.
What Are Some Eye Pillow Benefits?
If you’re suffering from restless sleep or anxiety, investing in an eye pillow might be a good choice for you. Here are the top benefits that eye pillows offer for your overall health.
Peace of mind
Using an eye pillow gives you a soft, comfortable feeling on top of your face. It also reduces the effects of your surroundings on your mind, aiding in calming you down and giving your brain some space to breathe.
If you’re feeling restless, stressed or anxious, using an eye pillow for just a few minutes can help clear your mind.
Relieving eye fatigue
In this day and age where most of your work happens in front of a screen, using an eye pillow for as little as 20 minutes can help you reduce screen fatigue.
Your phones and computers emit blue light, and using them at close range for extended hours of time can cause damage to your eyes in the long run.
Symptoms you might notice from too much time in front of a screen include itchiness, watery eyes and pain behind your eyes. These symptoms can lead to premature hardening of your cornea.
To relieve eye fatigue, an eye pillow will be best used as a cold compress. Wrap your eye pillow in a waterproof cover to make sure that it does not get wet and leave it in the freezer for a few hours.
Place this on your eyes for about 15-20 minutes every few hours of consistent screen usage. You will notice that you feel less tired and your eyes feel more refreshed. You will also notice reduced itchiness and pain if you suffer from these symptoms.
Acupressure
Similar to acupuncture, acupressure involves putting pressure on certain areas of the body to relieve symptoms. Some eye pillows come with innovative, weighted designs that include flax seeds sewn into the fabric. The fabric used is typically a soft, delicate material like muslin.
This exerts just the right amount of pressure on your eyes, giving you increased energy and reducing the impact of exhaustion.
Aromatherapy
It’s well known that aromatherapy can be great for your body and helps you revitalize and reenergize. You can get the same kind of benefits from specially-constructed eye pillows that are infused with essential oils.
When you use these pillows, these essential oils can help boost your mood, increase attentiveness and reduce stress. They are also believed to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
Better Sleep
Having the comfortable presence of a pillow on your eyes can help you sleep better. An eye pillow can help block out light and sound from your surroundings, giving you a more peaceful sleeping experience.
Some people choose to use an entire pillow over their head when they sleep. However, not everyone will benefit from this method, as it might cause issues with breathing and temperature control. A simple eye pillow is a better way to improve the quality of your sleep.
If you’re used to changing positions in your sleep, there are a number of eye pillows that come with straps to keep the pillow in place. Instead of placing them on your head, these pillows can be worn on your face like a sleeping mask.
Yoga
A number of yoga positions include being flat on your stomach with your face to the ground. Yoga also involves holding these positions and breathing through them.
This can get uncomfortable if you’re just using a hard yoga mat. Using an eye pillow can give your face the support and comfort it needs to carry out yoga positions effectively.
Bottom Line
Eye pillows can be infused with essential oils, fragrances and even flax seeds to give them multiple health benefits. If you spend a lot of your day in front of a screen or have problems sleeping, these eye pillow benefits might be just what you need.