“Life is about perspectives and how you look at something… ultimately, you have to zoom out”
Whitney Wolfe Herd
Last month we focused on the feet, this month we will be exploring another part of the body often not appreciated for the power they have to affect the whole body….the eyes!
In today’s screen-heavy world, many of us spend hours locked into a narrow visual focus. While this kind of intense concentration is sometimes necessary, staying in it for too long can keep the brain in a low-level state of stress. The good news….a simple shift in how you use your eyes can have a profound effect on your nervous system, reducing tension and improving overall well-being.
Your eyes do more than just process images—they directly influence how your body responds to stress and stores tension. When you perceive a threat, your brain automatically narrows your focus, heightens alertness, and tenses your muscles in preparation for action. This fight, flight, freeze response is essential in moments of danger, but modern life keeps many of us locked in this mode for far too long. We really are not designed for this way of living.
Now, consider how much time you spend staring at screens. That same narrow focus, repeated daily, can reinforce stress and tension, keeping your nervous system on high alert, keeping the muscles in your head, neck and shoulders tense ready for action, even when there’s no real threat.
The solution? Expand your gaze.
Panoramic vision, also called soft gaze, is when you relax your eyes and take in the full scene around you. Think of it like zooming out with a camera lens. This shift tells your brain that you're safe, helping to release tension and activate the body's parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and recovery.
Try this: Lift your eyes from your screen and take in the entire room. Notice the walls, ceiling, and objects in your periphery. This small shift signals to your brain that you can relax. You’re not zoning out—you’re becoming more aware, but in a balanced way.
Just as you can control your breathing to regulate stress, you can train your vision to shift between narrow and panoramic focus as needed. Learning to move seamlessly between these states gives you greater control over your nervous system, allowing you to focus when necessary and relax when appropriate.
Another powerful way our vision can regulate our nervous system is when you walk or bike, moving forward, your eyes naturally make lateral adjustments, engaging in a process called optic flow — the visual experience of motion as we move through our environment. Imagine walking through a park or along the beach: objects in the distance remain stable, while those nearby seem to move past more rapidly. This constant visual processing helps your brain determine where you are in space, along with the rhythmic, predictable motion reinforces a sense of stability and security.
Have you ever noticed how a walk outside can clear your mind? That’s because the gentle forward motion combined with optic flow actually dampens the brain’s threat response. It’s a natural way to calm and reset your nervous system.
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