Eye Twitching Is Often A Sign Of Sleep Depression or Lack of Sleep
Whether it only happens every now and then or it’s something you deal with on a daily basis, eye twitching is quite an annoying problem. You might worry that others notice your eye twitching, or that the symptoms are interfering with your daily life. After all, eye twitching often doesn’t occur on its own, but with a handful of other symptoms, like dryness, redness, or irritation.
Luckily, it is usually nothing to worry about - and it’s often caused by easy-to-remedy issues like a lack of sleep or poor nutrition. If you’re ready to learn more about what’s causing your eye twitches - and how to stop them - you’ve come to the right place.
What is an Eye Twitch?
What is an eye twitch?
An eye twitch refers simply to any uncontrollable eyelid spasm. Although some periods of eye twitching can last for several days, in most cases, eye twitching will only last for a few minutes.
If your eyelid is twitching uncontrollably, you might be self-conscious, thinking that all of those around you can see the movement. Luckily, eye twitches aren’t usually noticed by those around you and are only felt by you at that very moment. Medically referred to as myokymia, eye twitching can have multiple causes including lack of sleep, most of which are nothing to worry about.
Why is My Eye Twitching?
Poor sleep habits often lead to eye twitching
There are several common causes of eye twitching to be aware of, including stress, eye strain, and fatigue. Eye twitching can also be caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeine, poor sleep and sleepwalking, along with dry eyes, issues with your nutrition, or persistent allergies.
Eye twitching can even be caused by too much bright light or by wind or air pollution. Sometimes, your eye will start twitching simply because something (often smoke or another pollutant) has irritated the inner eyelid or eye surface.
There are some chronic, persistent conditions that cause eye twitching, too. One of these is benign essential blepharospasm, which is a movement disorder that causes the muscles around the eye to spasm. The causes of this disorder aren’t clear, but most people think it is due to a malfunction of cells in the basal ganglia, a cluster of cells.
Another condition that can cause eye twitching is a hemifacial spasm, which is usually caused by a small artery that is pressing on and irritating a nerve in your face. Rarely, eye twitching can be caused by a corneal abrasion - or a deep scratch to your corneas- or by uveitis. Uveitis is a type of eye inflammation that comes on suddenly and is accompanied by pain and blurred vision. It’s a serious condition that needs to be treated early on - as it can lead to permanent vision loss - but it’s very rare.
Even more rarely, eye twitching is caused by brian and nervous system disorders. Again, these are very rare and are almost always accompanied by other symptoms, but can include disorders like Bell’s palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and cervical dystonia.
What Are the Different Types of Eyelid Twitches?
Different Types Of Eyelid Twitches
There are three main types of eyelid twitching. A minor twitch is usually associated with lifestyle factors like stress and fatigue, and it is usually only temporary. It can also be caused by minor irritation to the surface of your eye or your conjunctiva.
Benign essential blepharospasm is a bit more serious. This condition usually appears in mid- to late- adulthood and it worsens over time. It’s rare, with only about 2000 Americans diagnosed each year. More common in women than in men, this syndrome can be severe for some people. It can be caused by stress and fatigue as well - along with bright lights, air pollution, and wind pollution - but it usually begins with basic eye irritation and nonstop blinking.
As the condition progresses, you will likely become more sensitive to bright light and have blurry vision. You may even develop facial spasms that become so severe that your eyes stay shut for a period of hours. It’s not clear what causes benign essential blepharospasm, but most people believe it’s a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It sometimes runs in families, in fact.
The final type of eyelid twitching is even rarer, and it’s known as a hemifacial spasm. This twitch involves all of the muscles around your eyelids and your mouth, but unlike the other types of twitching, it usually only affects one side of the face. Usually, this is caused by an artery pressing on a nerve.
How Can I Stop Eye Twitching?
Although eye twitching isn’t usually a problem you need to worry much about, there are several easy adjustments you can make to stop your eye twitching for good. Start by examining your diet and lifestyle. Are there things you can cut out - like alcohol and caffeine - that you don’t actually need? Often, these easy switches can help eliminate eye twitching entirely.
Before you can determine how to fix your eye twitching, you need to figure out exactly what causes eye twitching in your specific situation. Once you do this, you can take steps to solve your problem for good.
Stress
Eye twitching is the most common symptom of stress
Stress is the most common cause of eye twitching. There are easy hacks you can implement to help reduce stress in your life, although it’s admittedly easier said than done. From engaging in simple breathing exercises to practicing yoga or meditation on a regular basis, making a conscious effort to relax can dramatically reduce the likelihood of eye twitching.
If you can, find little ways to unwind during your day. Spend time with your family and friends, or even take your dog for a walk. These are easy steps you can take that will not only reduce your symptoms of eye twitching, but will help alleviate other health conditions related to stress, too.
Fatigue
Reduce eye twitches with restful nights of sleep on a new mattress
Whether chronic or occasional, fatigue can seriously increase the likelihood of eye twitching. Try to follow a regular sleep schedule and make sure you are doing your best to have good sleep hygiene. What does this mean? You might think that you are getting plenty of sleep because you go to bed and wake up at the same time every night. While that’s helpful - and a great first step! - you need to rethink the way you are going to sleep, too.
For example, your bedroom should be only for sleep and for sex. Remove any distractions in the room, whether the distractions are in the form of bright lights or too much clutter. Avoid using your cell phone or other electronics right before bed - and especially when you’re already lying in bed - as the blue light can keep you awake longer than necessary.
You may also want to invest in blackout curtains, which will help keep your room dark and perfect for sleep. Make sure you aren’t consuming any caffeine or alcohol right before bed, either, as this can interrupt your sleep even if you actually feel tired.
Eye Strain
Too much screen time can lead to insomnia and eye twitching
Just as removing the cell phone from your nighttime routine can help reduce feelings of fatigue, so, too, can it help reduce the likelihood of eye strain. Eye strain, and especially eye strain caused by the overuse of computers, smartphones, and other electronic devices, often causes eye twitching.
Even if your job is tied to an electronic device and there’s nothing you can do to cut or decrease your digital use altogether, try following the 20-20-20 rule. With this rule, you’ll look away from your computer for 20 seconds for every 20 minutes you have spent looking at a screen. Allow your eyes to focus on an object at least 20 feet away.
Not only will this provide your brain with a welcome break from the computer screen, but it can also reduce your eye fatigue, too. If that doesn’t work, you may want to chat with your eye doctor about investing in a special pair of eyeglasses to reduce the eye strain caused by frequent digital use.
Dry Eyes
When your eyes start to twitch, how do they feel? If they feel dry, you’re likely not alone. Dry eyes are common among all people, especially those who are older than the age of 50, use computers frequently, or take certain medications. Both antihistamines and antidepressants are linked to an increased likelihood of dry eye, as is the use of contact lenses. Both caffeine and alcohol consumption can worsen dry eyes, too.
If your eyes feel gritty and you suffer from frequent eye twitching, you might want to talk to your doctor about potential treatments. There are lots of eye drops and alternative contact lenses that you can try that will reduce the twitching and make your eyes feel more comfortable, too.
Nutritional Deficits
There are various nutrients that help your eyes function effectively, including magnesium. If you have too little magnesium in your diet, there’s a good chance that you’re going to suffer from eye twitching. If you’re worried that your eye twitching might be caused by a gap in your diet. You might want to consider taking a supplement.
Of course, it’s wise to talk to your doctor before you start taking any kind of supplement, especially if you're on certain medications.
Caffeine and Alcohol Use
Excessive caffeine and alcohol can often cause eye twitches
Caffeine not only can impact your sleep schedule, which leads indirectly to eye twitching, but it can also trigger eye twitching all by itself. While you might not be able to cut out your consumption of tea, coffee, or soda altogether, you should attempt to cut back for a couple of weeks to see if the itching goes away.
Replace your regular cup of joe with a decaffeinated version, and you’ll likely be amazed at the effect that this has! On a similar note, you might want to try taking a break (however brief) from alcohol. It doesn’t matter whether beer, liquor, or wine are your tipple of choice - any kind of alcohol consumption may cause your eyelids to twitch.
Allergies
Allergies might be the cause of uncontrollable eye twitching
Do you have allergies? If so, your allergies might be to blame, and unfortunately, that’s something that’s difficult to control.
You'll know that it’s allergies giving young rief if your twitching eye is accompanied by symptoms like swelling, itching, and watering. When you rub or itch your eyes, you release histamine into your eyelids and the film becomes torn, which can cause the twitching to persist or begin to occur.
There are plenty of eye drops you can take to help relieve allergy symptoms, but the downside is that these can have a drying effect that can exacerbate the witching. You may need to explore alternative allergy treatments like over the counter medications and immunotherapy instead.
Botox Treatments
Depending on your budget and how badly you want your eye twitching gone, there are some rare cases in which Botox treatments have proven to be effective at eliminating eye twitching. If that’s the case, you should talk to your doctor about getting regular injections to help stop your involuntary eye twitching.
Can Be A Side Effect of Drugs
Sleep Aid Side Effects on Eye Twitching
If you’re taking any kind of medication, it’s important to note that eye twitching is a common side effect. It’s particularly common for medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and psychosis.
There are several medications used to treat eye twitching, too, including lorazepam, clonazepam, and trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride. These often provide only short-term relief, so a doctor will usually attempt other alternative treatments like acupuncture, biofeedback, tinted glasses, or chiropractic first.
In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to help relieve some of the pressure of the nerves and muscles around your eyelid. Sometimes complete or partial removal of these muscles and nerves is required.
Lack of Sleep – Time For A New Mattress
Maybe it’s time for a new mattress to help solve the eye twitching behavior
If you’re concerned that your eye twitching is interfering with the rest of your life, it might be time to make an appointment with your doctor. This is especially important if it has been more than a week since your twitching began, or if the spasms involve other facial muscles.
The same rule applies if there is any drooping or if you have any swelling, redness, or discharge. Your doctor will be able to rule out other causes before making a diagnosis and a recommendation for treatment. If you can, try to cut back on tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine, and do your best to eliminate other environmental factors.
One of the best ways to treat eye twitching is to address a lack of sleep that might be causing the problem. Even if sleep issues aren’t to blame, often, getting better (and more frequent) sleep can help alleviate the problems that are causing your eye twitching.
Skimping on sleep can not only lead to eye spasms, but it can cause you to have dry, itchy, or bloodshot eyes - which also lead to eye twitching. You may find that your eyes are just downright uncomfortable when you haven't had enough rest.
If you’re not getting restful sleep yet and are doing everything you can to improve and maintain your sleep hygiene, it might be time to reevaluate your sleep environment. How long has it been since you replaced your pillows - and more importantly, your mattress?
Consider investing in a new mattress. Not only will you be less likely to find yourself tossing and turning all night, but you’ll likely wake up feeling more well-rested and less sore, too.
Rest Assured Eye Twitching Can Be Addressed By A Few Simple Adjustments To Your Lifestyle
If you’ve been suffering from uncontrollable eye twitching, it’s important that you chat with your eye doctor. Not only could a very simple cause be at the root of this annoying symptom, but sometimes eye twitching can be linked to more serious conditions. You should seek emergency care if your eye twitching is persistent or if you have sudden changes in the movement or appearance of half your face. The same goes for if your eyelids shut so tightly it’s impossible for you to open your eyes. Symptoms like this can be linked to dangerous conditions such as hemifacial spasms or blepharospasm, both of which are serious neurological issues that need emergency care.
Rest assured, though, that these conditions are exceedingly rare. In most cases, your eye twitching is likely caused by a simple issue that can be easily addressed. By making a few simple tweaks to your diet and lifestyle, you’ll be well on your way to a calmer, twitch-free life.
Jessica Lauren is Founder, contributing Author and Owner of Citrus Sleep. Citrus Sleep is an online publication that highlights brands, sleep products, women’s fashion, subscription services and ideas creating positive social change and promoting a healthy lifestyle. After spending nearly a decade working in PR and marketing for several brands and startups, Jessica knows what truly drives conversions, sold-out launches and guest posts.
Follow Jessica at @jessicalaurencs | Jessica Lauren
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