Eye pillows are an effective sleep aid, and they help you to unwind, and get a better quality of sleep. They are a huge boon to use when you have difficulties sleeping, or you’re travelling. For most people, travel poses problems because sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings can cause sleep disturbances. The best solution is to use eye pillows that promote relaxation and gradually help to induce sleep in the most natural way. For more information see the Rest and Digest website.
What Are Eye Pillows?
These products are not a new invention. They were initially used in a medical or hospital setting to give patients a better experience during their illness or recuperation. They are designed as tiny cushions made from natural fabrics such as silk or cotton. They resemble conventional pillows but on a smaller scale. Instead of being filled with cotton or foam, eye pillows often contain herbs such as lavender or camomile that induce sleep. For added weight they may contain flaxseeds, rice grains or micro-beads.
Benefits of Pillows For Your Eyes
If you suffer from insomnia, disturbed sleep or restlessness, using a sleep aid such as an eye pillow can make all the difference.
In a hospital setting, eye pillows are reputed to prevent nightmares, because they give you a more pleasant sleep. In hospitals, the strong odor of medications, illnesses and harsh cleansing agents can be annoying and they may also make you restless and agitated. Harsh lights can be blocked out with an eye pillow.
The nominal and continuous pressure on the eyelids keeps them relaxed and closed so that you can fall asleep more quickly. Scented herbs such as lavender, leaves such as eucalyptus and flowers such as rose petals give off a pleasant yet mild odor that induce calmness.
You can also warm or cool the eye pillow for better comfort. This gives relief from headaches or sinus problems.
In neurological terms, they stimulate the oculocardiac responses, and also stimulate the vagus nerve which is directly involved in rest and relaxation. The heart rate is brought down, and experts opine that eye pillows help to promote the rest and digest response of the parasympathetic nervous system. These pillows help to automatically elevate your mood and reduce the effect of stress hormones that create the fight or flight response. Instead, they gently trigger the rest and digest reaction that arises from the action of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Some experts recommend that you combine the use of eye pillows with other therapies such as soft music, deep breathing or aromatherapy for better results.
7 Great Ways To Benefit From Eye Pillow Use
- Enhance Your Yoga Experience: Eye pillows are not just to use when you want to fall asleep easily. They can be a great experience enhancer during yoga practice. During yoga nidra or shavasana, eye pillows ensure that your eyes and facial muscles remain relaxed and loose. They block out unnecessary sensory stimulation from ambient light so that you get a complete sense of peace and calm.
- Stress Relief: In the midst of a hectic day, you need to take a few minutes to refresh yourself mentally and physically. The best solution is to find a calm and peaceful space, relax in a sitting or prone pose and place the eye pillows over the eyes. They instantly block out the environmental distractions that keep you on edge.
- Eye Refresh: Eye pillows are filled with natural healing herbs and other aromatherapy products. They provide a gentle yet continuous weight on the eyes with the help of flaxseed or grain fillers. This gives your eyes a much needed break from continuously watching blue screens that make your eyes dry and strained. This can be a quick and effective way to detox digitally from your laptop, tablet or phone.
- Acupressure: Mildly weighted and scented eye pillows are a great way to get the benefits of acupressure on the facial muscles. The delicate skin and soft muscles of the face and the area around the eyes can get a gentle massage. Circulation can be enhanced, leading to better skin quality in these parts.
- Pain Relief: If you suffer from migraine headaches or tension headaches, applying an eye pillow over your eyes helps to block light and give you a sense of calmness. You can cool the pillow by placing it in the freezer for a while, or you can heat it by warming it in the microwave oven for a few seconds. This helps to enhance the pain relief properties of eye pillows.
- Travel: Airline travel is stressful at any age or for any length of time. The drying effects of climate control inside the aircraft, noises, disturbances from co-passengers and lack of sleep can keep you in an agitated state of mind. While sleep masks are provided on some airlines, these do not really block out all the annoying lights and disturbances. Use the eye pillow over your eyes as you recline back in your seat and enjoy the flight in a calm and relaxed manner. Eye pillows are also known to prevent motion sickness and nausea.
- Before an Important Meeting or Event: Plan to take a few minutes of relaxation before an important meeting or event. While you’re traveling in the cab, or taking a flight, relax with your eye pillows over your eyes. Using eye pillows made of a soft fabric such as natural brushed cotton or silk gives you a feeling of being soothed as if in a gentle massage. Eye pillows filled with grains or seeds offer a mild weight that presses gently down on the eyelids, keeping them closed. The scent of relaxing herbs such as lavender helps to soothe your nerves and helps to clarify your thoughts.
