Vital Tips to Get Better at Maintenance of Brain Health at the Workplace
Evgenia Leonova, PhD, MBA
Life Sciences Executive, Entrepreneur, Lecturer, Speaker
"There is no such thing as an absolute rest," - Albert Einstein
In May 2022 Scientists from Denmark published results of their research describing the unique fluid system of the brain, which is very different from any peripheral organ. According to their data, the brain has physiologically dictated difficulties that make the maintenance of healthy homeostasis complicated.
While most of the body organs are relying on a special transcapillary filtration system to keep a bio-balance, the brain needs a smooth flow of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). During the cognitive processes, when the brain is focused on solving tasks the CSF flow is not optimized.
As scientists claim, glymphatic clearance of potentially harmful metabolic or protein waste products from the brain is primarily active only during a REST time.
That means that for the brain it is physiologically vital to have a rest. And only during the rest the brain is capable of gaining a healthy bio-balance. [Physiol Rev 2022 Apr 1;102(2):1025-1151. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00031.2020.]
Despite the absurdity of thinking about rest at a workplace, - as a matter of scientifically proven fact, - incorporation of rest into the workspace is the economically beneficial and time-wisely viable approach to make things done.
To influence the brain function on the maximum scale at 3hBrain we established the ?5senses approach. So, when we talk about achieving an optimal rest state at a workplace we apply 5 senses: vision; audition; olfaction; gustation; tactility.
Part #1
Sight or vision
The optic nerve represents 1 million nerve fibers that connect the eyes to the Hypothalamus. Hypothalamus is the part of the brain that is responsible for body temperature regulation, circadian rhythms, energy maintenance, stress control, and body movements. Any changes in eye work impact the above-mentioned body functions. So, it is vitally important to have an understanding of how to keep eye health in balance and influence brain activity via the eyes.
The human eye's work and movements are relying on multiple types of muscles. There are at least 6 types of muscles that are responsible only for eyeball activity. Other types of muscles are responsible for eye lens accommodation, stabilization, and hold on place. Overall it's a complicated system of tiny and rich blood capillary muscles. Their health and effortless movement depend on their overall strength, plasticity, and modest use. Any muscle tension in the eye can result in blurred vision or can cause vision loss. Eye muscle tension also can cause difficulties in blood flow and restrict the transport of essential elements to the eye.
Like with any other body muscle, the eye muscles need various workloads and massage to keep them healthy. Monotonous work, such as reading or excessive staring at a close object is very harmful to the eyes.
As a rule, doctors recommend a 5 min break every 1 hour of work. Some doctors prefer a 20 min of work - 20 min of rest approach.
To make the rest time maximum benefits you need to look at far-positioned objects, such as pedestrians or buildings outside. Also, highly efficient exercises are to switch your attention from a close object to a far object and repeat it at least 15 times. Rolling your eyes clockwise 10 times and in a counterclockwise direction is very efficient for your eye muscles as well.
A gentle eye rubbing can be considered a good massage, but please, be careful. Most ophthalmologists are against eye rubbing because extensive rubbing can cause serious damage to the eye lens.
The best way to massage your eyes is to cover your eyes with warm palms and hold them for a few minutes. Also, gentle touch in the area between the eyeball and eyebrow is very efficient for an eye massage.
You can also get a professional eye massage device like the one below:
The human eyeball is mostly made of water, over 90%. The main content of the eyeball is a special gel called vitreous. There are several natural mechanisms that exist to keep your eyes wet, such as eye blinking and the work of lacrimal glands. But it is still very hard to avoid dry-eye symptoms due to the constantly working conditioners, heating units, and digital screens. To keep your eye with an optimal level of moisture it is better to track the humidity level at the workplace. The optimal for eyes health is 45% and high. To measure humidity you can use a hygrometer.
A commercial air humidifier can be a big help to maintain the humidity in the building at the same optimal level:
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Now it is time to talk about the most important, most sensitive part of the eye with the fastest aging speed. We are talking about Retina. The bottom of the eye is covered with photosensitive tissue that actually gets and transfers information to the brain. And maintaining its health is the hardest because there is no sensitivity in the retina. You will not be able to feel the difference till the moment of extreme degradation when professional health is needed. Photosensitive elements of the retina are extremely sensitive to light and fade with time. To protect your retina, never look at direct sunlight and avoid any artificial bright light.
Bright artificial light can cause more damage than a natural sun because the eye switched from different regimens day and night. A bright sun during the day period is more natural, than a fake light during the evening or night period.
Scientists differentiate 3 types of human eye vision regimes and receptor regimes.
“Photopic vision relates to human vision at high ambient light levels (e.g. during daylight conditions) when vision is mediated by the cones. The photopic vision regime applies to luminance levels > 3 cd/m2 . The scotopic vision regime applies to luminance levels < 0.003 cd/m2. Mesopic vision relates to light levels between the photopic and scotopic vision regime (0.003 cd/m2 < mesopic luminance < 3 cd/m2 )"
- Osram Sylvania, Corporation Lumens and mesopic vision, Application Note FAQ0016-0297 (2000) citation
The acceptable illuminance level for human eyes is 500 - 1000 lux. Everything that is higher than that level has to be avoided.
To measure the brightness of your computer screen or environment you can use a digital illuminance meter such as the one listed below:
The intensity of light is vital, but the type of light is important also. The human eye is capable of detecting only visible light 380 - 700 nm. The highest in energy and the most harmful to the eyes is the blue light 380 - 435 nm. But any source of light, if you are capable of seeing it, also emits traces of UV 100 - 380 nm.
To protect yourself it is better to choose screen blockers or protective eyeglasses with a wider range of protection. As listed below: