How to Prevent Puffy Eyes
Get plenty of sleep at night. If you have chronic puffy eyes, it could be that you’re just not getting enough sleep, or the quality of the sleep you’re getting is poor. Swelling under the eyes is a very frequent symptom of sleep privation.
Drink more water! A significant number of people disposed to puffy eyes are usually dehydrated. If you have puffy eyes, you probably need to drink more water. Aim for a gallon a day or at the very least, 3 quarts. Drink only water or herbal tea. Sugared, flavored or carbonated drinks don’t count. And if you drink coffee or alcohol every day, you will need an extra glass of water for each glass of wine or cup of coffee.
Change your sleeping position. It’s not strange to have puffy eyes in the morning. One reason for this may be that when you are lying down in a level position and then stand up, the fluid that is resting under your eyes is suddenly being pulled down by gravitation. This swelling ordinarily will lessen shortly. One way you can prevent waking up with morning puffy eyes, is to elevate your head while you sleep so that the fluid is not as rapidly drawn down as you get up.
Decrease your salt intake. A high ingestion of sodium may be causing your body to retain fluid. Try reducing your intake of salt and see if that reduces your swollen eyes.
Try a diuretic, such as the juice of cabbage or cranberry. These foods are natural diuretics, which will help your body release some surplus fluid. Other natural diuretics include the herbs uva ursi and golden rod.
Be sure to get plenty of physical activity. Exercise energizes circulation, which will cause your body to move fluid through your body, rather than allowing it accumulate.
Here’s more information about the connection between weight loss and puffy eyes.
