The hidden danger of needlepoint!

05-01-24 00 / episode: 354

You might be thinking of a new hobby to socialize with other people,

or perhaps to relax and meditate a bit.

This might make you think of taking up needlepoint.

But beware!

Needlepoint can be hazardous to your health!

Your visual health that is.

Near the end of this video I’ll give a quick way to prevent

Too much eye strain.

Hi, and welcome to the Les Perras podcast for extensive English listening episode number 354 about needlepoint.

Socialize with Others

Needlepoint can be an excellent way to

enter a new community of friends.

When you start needlepoint you can

probably find a group of people who can

give you guidance and support in learning and

progressing in the art of needlepoint.

You can go to retreats and conventions to meet

other people learn more about the art and perhaps make even better creations.

Relax and Meditate

Start by learning a few basic stitches.

Then relax and site back.

The practice of needlepoint requires a certain mindfulness

yet also provides relaxation.

It can put you in a meditative state as

you sit back and repeat the same actions where

you might even enter the elusive state of flow.

But beware!

Eye strain

Needlepoint requires you to focus on fine details for long periods at a time.

This is precisely the type of eye activity that

can cause eye strain.

Some symptoms include watery eyes,

dry eyes, sensitivity to light, and

blurred vision.

Eye strain doesn’t stop there though.

It can spread to other parts of the body.

Eye strain has been found to cause neck pain,

shoulder pain and back pains.

Headaches over the eyes

In addition to risking eye strain you also risk getting headaches over the eyes.

Just like the description,

this is a headache that you feel behind the eyes,

or over them.

It can cause sensitivity to light in

addition to being painful.

The cause is sometimes due to different

blinking patterns which is prompted from

intense concentration on small things,

or focusing at the incorrect distance.

What Can You Do?

As with many eye strain problems, simply resting your eyes from time to time can be very beneficial.

Changing the focus of your eyes deliberately is one simple way to do this.

Extend your hand in front of your eyes and focus on your thumb.

Then change your focus to something as far away as you can see,

preferably looking out a window.

Then flip your focus back and forth several times.

Another simple activity is simply get up and walk around for a few minutes.

Go to the kitchen and have a drink of water,

Don’t watch the TV or use your smartphone during these breaks.

So if you want to start needlepoint,

you can probably do it ok but be sure to take precautions for your eyesight.

Thanks for listening