One of the first things I like to share with my vision coaching clients is my morning vision wake-up practice. My eyes really appreciate it, and it sets a relaxed and comfortable tone for the rest of my day.
What are the benefits of a morning vision wake-up practice?:
Relaxes the muscle around the eyes, in the neck, shoulders and the rest of the body
Increases lymph and blood flow, improving circulation and oxygenation to your eyes and the rest of your body
Improves how you physically, mentally and emotionally feel
Provides a foundation for building good vision habits
Gets your vision practice started for the day
Sets a naturally relaxed tone for your eyes, body and mind to embrace for the rest of the day
Sleep does not always relax the eyes
Often, when we wake up in the morning, our eyes do not feel relaxed, and our vision is less clear than usual. Dr. Bates found that this is because our eyes haven’t been relaxed while we’ve been sleeping. In his research, he discovered that the muscles around the eyes, the same muscles that can cause our vision problems, can continue to be under a strain, even during sleep; sleep does not necessarily relax them.
But, this strain can be released with a morning vision-wake-up practice. With a morning practice, we can bring back the relaxation that improves our clarity.
“During sleep, the refractive condition of the eye is rarely, if ever, normal. Persons whose refraction is normal when they are awake will produce myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism when they are asleep, or, if they have errors of refraction when they are awake, they will be increased during sleep.”
– William H. Bates, M.D.
My morning-wake-up-practice
Here’s a summary of my personal morning vision wake-up routine, based on the Bates method, yoga, massage, acupressure, my own experience and self-awareness and the advice of other teachers and experts. I don’t always do it the same way every morning, nor include every technique, nor for the same amount of time, but, I always do it. It has become a habit.
And, it has become fun! It is more like play, not at all like work. And even though there is a structure to it, it tends to be spontaneous, as I listen to my eyes, my body and mind, as I check in with how I’m feeling, which is different every morning.
Since doing this every morning, I find myself spontaneously having better vision habits throughout the day!
Create your own morning vision-wake-up practice
Are you inspired to create your own morning vision-wake-up practice? Can you come up with a practice that works for you, that incorporates the techniques you enjoy and find most beneficial, done in a way that fits your personality and schedule?
If you can make your practice a routine, it becomes a habit. And if it becomes a habit, I predict you will notice great benefits, including clearer vision.
Resources
Books:
- “The Cure Of Imperfect Eyesight By Treatment Without Glasses” by William H. Bates
- “Give Up Your Glasses for Good” by Nathan Oxenfeld
- “Better Vision Now” by Clara Hackett
- “Help Yourself to Better Sight” by Margaret Darst Corbett
- “Exercises for Joints and Glands” by Swami Rama
Audio Recording:
- “Reclaim Your Eyesight Naturally” by Greg Marsh