If you are wondering how to sleep with your eyes open, you are not alone. Surprisingly, many people are asking the same question.
So, to enlighten you, we decided to gather the most essential information about sleeping with your eyes open. However, we are not encouraging you to try it as it could have long-term effects on your health.
Shall we begin?
Effects of Sleeping with Your Eyes Open
Naturally, we have our eyes closed when sleeping. If you must know, our eyelids have an important role in our eye health. It keeps the dirt and dust away, plus it ensures that our eyes are hydrated. When you close your eyes for a prolonged time, it could get the right amount of rest.
Now, many people are looking for ways on how to sleep with their eyes open. That’s because they want to sneak a bit of rest anytime, anywhere. Of course, we understand that you need this once in a blue moon. But if you are going to practice it regularly, there could be repercussions. This includes eye irritation, blurred vision, burning sensation, and sleep disruptions.
Speaking of eye irritation, you might want to try this product if you experience dryness and redness.
LUMIFY Redness Reliever Eye Drops
This product works like magic. It can take effect in just one minute and could last for 8 hours. LUMIFY contains brimonidine where it targets eye redness and is highly-recommended by eye doctors and professionals. This is ideal if you work in an environment where your eyes take a load of work. For example, you are in front of the computer for several hours.
Tips on How to Sleep with Your Eyes Open
If, after all our warnings, you still decide to pursue, this section will teach you the tricks on something that many thought was impossible.
Use Progressive Muscle Relaxation
First, you need to calm yourself using progressive muscle relaxation. Find a place where you will be unlikely disturbed. For first-timers, your bedroom could be the perfect spot.
Now, when you say progressive muscle relaxation, you try to tense groups of your muscles as you breathe in. And as you breathe out, you try to relax these same muscles. You can start with your feet and finish up until your shoulder. Remember to practice breathing slowly.
With this technique, you will feel less anxious.
Look At Something To Focus On
Try to focus on an object. Do not choose anything bright or with light as that could disrupt your sleep. The main objective of searching for a still item is to prevent your eyes from moving or wandering. The more than the eyes move, the more that you can’t sleep.
Let Your Mind Wander
Try to free your mind from stressful thoughts and focus on good ones. For example, you can think about your upcoming or past vacation. Visualize the serenity of the place and then once you are extremely relaxed, free your mind from anything.
Now that you are relaxed and staring at one particular object, it will look like you are awake. But in reality, you are already in dreamland.
How to Sleep in Public Without Getting Detected
If you tried the tips above yet you still can’t sleep, don’t worry. You can still take a nap without others noticing.
For instance, find a spot where there are fewer people. It could be an unused conference room, a restroom, or a closet. You can also wear sunglasses not just to conceal your closed eyes but to also mimic darkness. This could help you sleep better. Lastly, you might want to avoid slouching. Instead, sit up straight and rest your elbow on the surface, and support your chin to look awake.
Why Do Some People Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
For some people, sleeping with their eyes open is natural. But that’s not because they have a special skill or talent. Chances are, they suffer from specific health conditions. Here are some of the common ones.
Ptosis Surgery
Some people were born with drooping eyelids, and this condition is referred to as ptosis. This is where the muscle that lifts the eyelids were injured or weakened. The solution for this is to undergo surgery. However, a common complication is that your eyelid will not shut completely.
Nocturnal Lagophthalmos
This is a condition where the eyelids cannot close enough to cover the eyes. It is associated with abnormalities in the eyelids, eyes, and even face.
Bell’s Palsy
When we say bell’s palsy, it’s a condition where there is temporary paralysis or weakness of the nerves that control the movements of your forehead, neck, face, and eyelids. As such, a person suffering from this might not be able to close their eyes while sleeping.
Other reasons why people couldn’t fully shut their eyes while sleeping are trauma, stroke, and tumor.
Symptoms that You Sleep With Your Eyes Open
If you live in a shared space, it’s easy to tell if you are sleeping with your eyes open. But what if you are on your own?
A no-brainer approach is to record yourself while sleeping. However, if you do not have the resources to do so, just observe your eyes when you wake up. If it feels dry and itchy, then you might be sleeping without your eyes fully shut.
As we have already emphasized the importance of having your eyes closed while sleeping, other people are taking drastic measures. They would go as far as taping their eyelids. But that’s not recommended. That could also trap bacteria, which is also bad for your eye health. You can learn more from this video.
Conclusion
While it’s a cool trick to train yourself how to sleep with your eyes open, it’s highly-discouraged. If you need to rest or take a nap, do so the natural way so you can reap its full benefits. You can even buy sleeping products such as eye masks or earplugs to ensure that there will be no distractions.
Now, if other people have observed that you are sleeping with your eyes wide open, consult an expert to see if you have a specific health condition.
Our eyes are important, yet we often neglect it. Make sure that you always take care of your eyes by having regular check-ups, using the right products in case of irritation, and sleeping with your eyes closed.
