If you’re getting adequate sleep but still wake up with puffy eyes, it may take more than a good night’s rest to deflate your under eye bags. In order to determine the best treatment for your particular case of puffy eyes, you must first determine the cause. In most cases, puffy eyes are normal and do not require the attention of a doctor.
Diet
If your diet includes caffeine, salt or alcohol, you could be making your eyes look puffier. Caffeine, sodium and alcohol cause fluid retention, which can cause fluid to pool underneath the eyes, says the Mayo Clinic. To reduce puffy eyes, drink more water and reduce caffeine, sodium and alcoholic beverages from the diet. Cutting back on sodium does not only mean putting less salt into your food. Additionally, canned vegetables, canned soups, chips and salty snacks are high in sodium.
Allergies
When the body reacts to an allergen, histamines are released. Histamines can cause swelling in the face, making eyes puffy. Your eyes may swell up due to environmental allergies, like pollen or mold, or food allergies, like milk or wheat. To temporarily reduce histamine activity and calm down swelling, take an antihistamine. The only way to permanently reduce the appearance of puffy eyes is to avoid the environment or food that you are allergic to.
Sleeping Flat
Sleeping on your back can cause fluid to accumulate underneath your eyes while you are asleep. To help encourage drainage in the eye area, prop your head up with pillows before going to bed, recommends ophthalmologist, Monica L. Monica, M.D., Ph.D. Sleeping on one side can also cause fluid to build up underneath one eye. If possible, sleep on your back and at a slightly elevated angle by placing extra pillows under the head.
Heredity and Age
According to the Mayo Clinic, heredity and age may cause puffy eyes. When the skin underneath the eyes is particularly thin and begins to sag, eyes may look more puffy and tired. A cosmetic surgeon may recommend eyelid surgery to permnently reduce puffy eyes due to age or heredity. The surgeon stretches the skin under the eyes taut and sews it in place, then trims away the excess skin. Cosmetic surgery is expensive and not usually covered by insurance.
About this Author
Madison Whitfield has been a freelance writer and editor since 2006. She has written hundreds of health, fitness, travel, beauty and grooming articles for numerous print and Internet publications. Whitfield earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University, where she studied writing.
