A 6-Step Self-Massage for Headaches and Eye Strain
This shelter-in-place thing has resulted in way too much screen time for my kid. I want to share my homeschool mom wins and brag about all our baking, daily yoga or some brilliant project on the baby hummingbirds in our backyard.
But that's not the way it's gone down. At all.
I have no report back on how we "overcame" this unwanted and excessive transgression. Maybe because we are still in the middle of it. Maybe because my current personal mantra is "surrender to the Universe!"
But it has resulted in some extra eye strain and headaches. Our intervention? Self-Massage for the head and eyes.
She's a kid so I still need to prompt her to do it. And she still prefers it when I do it for her. But cycling through this a few times has been a helpful physical transition away from the screens into the rest of life.
We've broken down our favorite massage techniques for eye strain and headaches into six steps. Your kid can massage themself or you can do it for them. And parents, if you play your cards right, maybe your kid will massage you back. (full video at the bottom).
Step 1: Palming.
With a soft, full hand, use your palms to alternate pressure on each closed eye.
Step 2. Six + Six
Using a thumb or finger tip, hold pressure along the these 6 points on the top and then 6 on the bottom of the eye socket.
Step 3. Smooth the eyebrows.
Using a finger or thumb, iron out the eyebrows, starting at the midline and tracing toward the temples.
Step 4. Smooth the forehead.
Starting at the middle of the forehead, with thumbs or finger tips smooth out the forehead muscles from the center to the sides -- both sides at the same time.
Step 5. "Z" Slide.
Starting at the corner of the eyes, you finger tips trace your cheek bones down under the eyes and back up toward the temples.
Step 6. Circles at the Temples.
Using pads of the finger tips, work circles on the muscles at the temples. Work with your kid to know how much pressure. Make sure your fingers are in the muscles, not just sliding on the skin.
Here's the full flow: