To keep your eyes moist, or does blinking have another function?
- It is estimated that we blink around 20,000 times a day. Each blink lasts about two-tenths of a second. So, of the time you are awake, you have your eyes closed about 10 percent of the time.
- Women are said to blink more often than men. However, opinions are divided on this fact. Furthermore, people with light eyes blink more often than people with dark eyes.
- Blinking is done, among other things, to keep your eyes moist and to protect them from dirt.
- Certain emotions can make you blink more often. Someone who is nervous or in love blinks more often.
- A study shows that blinking is probably not just to keep your eyes moist. We blink more than necessary to keep our eyes moist enough. Blinking would be like a very short nap for your brain. When your eyes are closed, the brain functions differently, whether that's because you're sleeping or blinking. It is therefore possible that blinking also has a neurological function.
Read also: Possible causes of red eyes
