Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

THE eyes give a lot away, whether we are nervous, stressed, lying, or tired. While it is easy to change our demeanor to show nothing is wrong, our eyes could be giving everything away subconsciously. With the help of a body language expert, Vision Direct has developed a new tool that allows users to track their blinks for 1 minute to reveal what their blinking pattern may be indicating. The tool called:- "the blinking test" encourages users to click a button every time they blink for the course of 1 minute, at the end it will tell you how many times you blinked and what that could mean.

Blinking stressed! Many may try and convince themselves that they're not stressed and, in fact, handling everything well, but their eyes could be telling a different story.

Studies show that abnormally fast blinking patterns can indicate that you're under a lot of stress. So much so, you can rack up a whopping 100 blinks per minute when you are stressed out.

How to spot a liar.. An example of eyes giving the game away is the changes during lying. Liars will typically forget to blink while telling the lie due to the focus on the details, then will rapidly blink once the lie is told.

Traci Brown, Body Language Expert, says:- "There is significant evidence that blink rate and blink weight can play a part in indicating deception. Typically, if their blinking changes it will get less rapid during the lie and then increase dramatically right after the lie is told. However, it is important to note that blinking is just a piece of the puzzle. It is vital to pay attention to other factors in their body language and tone to aid in the detection of deception."

Take Bill Clinton's infamous 6 minute speech regarding his affair with Monica Lewinsky as a prime example. He blinked straight after saying vitally important words such as:- "sexual," "relations," "Lewinsky" and "never." The way he punctuated his lies with a stress relieving blink shows that his pre-occupation was getting his lie out.

So, those looking to catch out a master of deception may be able to decipher their blinking pattern to help get to the truth.

If you're wondering:- "what can damage your eyesight?," well the answer is a:- "lot of things actually." The situations you encounter on a day to day basis can put a lot of stress on your dear old eyes. Here are some tips to keep your eyes happy and healthy:-

1. Blink more... Staring at a screen can be rough on your eyes, so much so, that studies suggest that the average person blinks 70% less when looking at a device. Try and make a conscious effort to blink more frequently to keep them hydrated. On the other hand, excessive blinking can be just as bad for your eye health. Consult a professional if you're concerned about your eye health.

2. Make sure you get enough sleep... Fatigue can make your eyes sore, irritated, red, and bloodshot which can be unpleasant. Make sure you aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

3. Keep hydrated... Water is essential to keeping your eyes (and the rest of your body) healthy. Dehydration can lead to dry, irritated eyes so make sure you're hitting at least 1.2 litres of water a day.

4. Provide proper care when wearing contact lenses... If your eyes get dry and painful when wearing contact lenses, carry around eye drops that are compatible with your contact lenses with you to keep your eyes feeling fresh when you're on the go.

Want to know what your blinking says about you? Try the tool here.