By David Yagudayev, Science and Technology Editor
We all experience moments of stress in college. Whether studying lecture slides late at night on the fourth floor of Gottesman Library in preparation for high-stake exams or writing that arduous essay while attempting to keep your eyes open, one must be ready for the inevitable onslaught of tiredness.
There are many study methods that allow one to feel energized and combat the inevitable feeling of tiredness that often creeps up during those late study sessions. However, there is an age-old tactic that many may not know about but is both effective and allows one to remain restful in preparation for whatever challenge may come their way. As soon as one starts feeling groggy or unfocused, simply lean back into your chair and close your eyes. Don’t take a nap or set a timer, simply lean back and close your eyes for a few minutes, enabling your eyes and rest of your body to relax. After a few minutes, once you open your eyes, you will feel ready to get back at studying again.
This uncomplicated and easy-to-employ method is quite effective, so why does closing one’s eyes for a short duration of time remove that haziness and tired feeling?
Closing one’s eyes helps relax the eye muscles that one greatly strains throughout the day. Especially us college students who are constantly attached to our screens, whether it be the smartboard, phone, or computer, we constantly stare at electronics all day long. By doing so, people overstress their eyes with sensory overload. Multiple studies show that as a result, peoples’ vision has worsened significantly, especially in younger generations.
Studies have also shown that myopia has increased significantly over the last three decades and that myopia cases are expected to reach over one billion by 2050 globally. The likely culprit for the vast majority of nearsightedness and the rise in myopia cases is increased screen time.
Studies have also shown that closing your eyes during “waking rest” for 15 minutes enhances one’s motor skills, memory, and is a good general relaxation technique. By closing your eyes, you substantially reduce the amount of sensory input your brain is receiving, enabling your mind to relax rather than process visual information.
Closing your eyes is also a part of many meditation techniques which aim to lower cortisol levels in the body.
When you feel tired or are struggling to keep your eyes open, close them, lean back and try to relax. When you feel ready, open them and see the results for yourself. During this generation, many often face overstimulation and are constantly bombarded by digital screens with harmful blue light. Closing our eyes and allowing these precious sensory organs to relax is potentially beneficial not only for studying effectively, but also as a way to take better care of our eyes.