The Energy Drain Hiding In Plain Sight

During the month of April, we will explore all the ways you can increase your energy levels.

Why are you fatigued? Why are you sapped of energy? The reason for may be hidden in plain sight.

For example, Dr. Christopher Starr of the ophthalmology department at Weill Cornell Medical College explains that many of us are using electronic devices at least nine hours a day. But what does that have to do with fatigue? After all, this requires no real energy expenditure on your part!

But Dr. Starr points out: “You can imagine if you were at the gym and you held a dumbbell, your bicep would be extremely sore nine hours later. The same thing happens for your eyes. You have to take breaks to relieve those muscles.”

We don’t think about the muscles we take for granted, until we take them for granted and they create issues for us. A perfect case-in-point can happen with eye strain. We never think about the muscles required to maintain focus on something like an electronic screen for hours on end. But these small muscles can become fatigued due to overuse. In fact, often when you feel fatigue it is simply your eyes asking for a rest.

Electronic devices are definitely a part of our lives now, so it is our responsibility to take breaks and care for our eyes. Create pauses from the screen. This can be as simple as setting an alarm to notify you to take a short walk, do some stretches, or simply shut your eyes for a moment, relax, and take some deep breaths.