Eye stretching exercises to reduce fatigue and protect your vision during the workday

1. The muscles in the eyes

Your eyes are powered by six small muscles that control movement and focus. Like any muscle, they can get tired when overused, especially during long periods of screen time. Eye fatigue often shows up as blurry vision, headaches, or a heavy feeling behind the eyes. This strain can affect your energy and productivity throughout the workday.

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2. Lack of breaks and its impact

When we work without regular breaks, our blinking rate drops, and our eyes don’t get the moisture or movement they need. This leads to dryness, tension, and reduced visual sharpness. Staring at screens also limits our natural tendency to shift focus or look around, which causes the eye muscles to stiffen and fatigue more quickly.

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3. How simple exercises can help

Doing just a few short sets of eye stretching exercises each day can make a big difference. In the BreathInU app, we offer four effective techniques:

• Blinking to refresh and lubricate the eyes
• Left to right movements to activate lateral muscles
• Top to bottom shifts to balance vertical motion
• Close and far focus to restore depth perception and prevent strain

These can be done in less than five minutes and are perfect for a midday break or before returning to your screen.

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4. Alternate Nostrils: breathe in through one side, out through the other

This calming practice supports balance between the two sides of your nervous system. It slows down racing thoughts and brings a sense of peace. Use your fingers to gently close one nostril at a time. With a few rounds, you may feel more grounded and focused.