7 Simple Fixes That Will Soothe Your Puffy Eyes

On top of the discomfort they often cause, puffy eyes can make you look sleepy, rundown, or even ill. It’s not anyone’s best look, but on the bright side, it’s actually a pretty simple problem to fix!

In today’s blog post, we’ll be exploring some simple remedies for puffy eyes that can help reduce swelling, soothe discomfort, or even prevent them altogether! But before we talk about remedies, let’s take a closer look at the problem itself—what actually causes puffy eyes in the first place?

What Causes Puffy Eyes?

Have your legs ever felt stiff or swollen after sitting still for a long time, like during a long flight? Moving around helps support healthy circulation of both blood and fluids in our bodies, and when we aren’t able to move around freely, circulation can suffer and lead to puffiness or even discomfort.

The same thing can happen with your eyelids while you sleep. When you don’t blink or move your eyelids at all during the night, fluid can build up around your eyelids and make them look puffy or swollen. Some people find that the puffiness goes down on its own once they get up and moving, but others may benefit from using certain remedies to help reduce the swelling. (More on remedies very shortly!)

But morning isn’t the only time your eyes may feel a bit puffy or swollen. It can also be caused or exacerbated by things like:

• Salt intake
• Allergies
• Sinus conditions
• Dehydration
• Fatigue
• Stress
• Crying

But no matter why your eyes are puffy, there are several remedies that can help. Here are some of the simplest and most effective home remedies for puffy eyes.

7 Simple Home Remedies For Puffy Eyes

1. Use Eye Drops

If your eyes are puffy and itchy, you may be having an allergic reaction to something in the air or your environment. In that case, a combination of eye drops and antihistamines should leave you feeling much better!

Eye drops will help to flush irritants out of your eyes, while an antihistamine will counteract the problematic side effects of the histamines deployed by your immune system (like swelling and itching.)

2. Elevate Your Head

If your eyes tend to be puffy in the mornings, try sleeping with your head elevated higher than usual. Stack your pillows in order to prop your head up a bit more to help limit swelling in your eyelids.

3. Treat Your Eyes

There are a surprising number of natural ways to soothe your eyes and help reduce puffiness or swelling fast. Here are a few popular “treatments” you can try:

• Tea Bags – Soak two black tea bags until saturated, refrigerate them for 20 minutes, then rest them on your eyelids for 15-30 minutes. The antioxidants, tannins, and caffeine in the tea will help constrict blood vessels and reduce swelling.
• Cucumber – Rest cucumber slices on your eyes for 15-30 minutes. Cucumber has natural acids and antioxidants that help soothe irritation and reduce swelling.
• Witch Hazel – This astringent helps to reduce redness and inflammation, making it a soothing choice for treating puffy eyes. Apply witch hazel to a couple of cotton pads and rest them on your eyelids for 5-10 minutes.
• Egg Whites – Egg whites have long been a favorite ingredient in DIY skincare for their ability to tighten and tone skin. Use a brush to carefully apply eggs whites under your eyes, let sit for 5-10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.

4. Check Your Diet

What you eat and drink can have a significant impact on how much water your body retains, so you may want to consider cleaning up your diet if you regularly struggle with puffy eyes. Limiting your salt and alcohol intake should be your top priority, while increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods like bananas and broccoli can have sizable benefits too.

5. Drink More Water

And speaking of what you eat and drink, be sure to keep yourself hydrated! Dehydration will only make inflammation worse, so if you want to avoid puffy eyes, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Keep in mind that certain foods can be a good source of water as well. Fresh fruits and vegetables are mostly water, so look for opportunities to include them in your diet!

6. Chill Your Products

If you use eye creams, eye serums, or other skincare products around your eyes, try storing them in your fridge for a while. Applying refrigerated products around your eyes can feel extremely soothing, and it will also help reduce puffiness quickly!

7. Give Yourself A Mini Massage

You can increase blood flow and fluid circulation by gently massaging the area around your eyes. Here’s how to do it:

• Start by massaging the pressure points in your eyebrows using gentle pressure, then sweep your fingers from the inside corners of your eyes to the outer corners to help drain the inflamed area.
• Tap at your sinuses using two fingers on each hand to get those fluids moving, starting on either side of your nose and moving outward.
• To further aid with fluid movement, gently massage the lymph nodes in your neck by massaging gently in a downward motion away from your face.
• Take at least 3 minutes to move through these steps, and repeat daily as needed to reduce swelling and inflammation all over your face and neck.