People rub their eyes when tired mainly because the eyes get dry and strained, and rubbing briefly makes them feel more comfortable. It also triggers a calming reflex in the nervous system that can make the body feel more relaxed and sleepy.
Dryness and irritation
When staying awake and concentrating, people tend to blink less, so the tear film on the eye surface breaks up and the eyes feel dry, itchy, or gritty. Rubbing the eyes stimulates the tear (lacrimal) glands, spreading fresh tears over the cornea and temporarily soothing that irritated feeling.
“Feels good” muscle massage
The muscles that move and focus the eyes work constantly while awake and can become fatigued, similar to how shoulder muscles feel after sitting at a screen all day. Pressing and rubbing around the eye sockets acts like a brief massage, which can relieve some of that muscle tension and create a pleasant sensation.
Calming reflex and heart rate
Gentle pressure on the eyeballs can activate the oculocardiac reflex, a connection between nerves in the eye area and the vagus nerve that influences heart rate. When this reflex is triggered, the heart rate can slow slightly, which may contribute to a feeling of relaxation or sleepiness when rubbing tired eyes.
Is eye rubbing bad?
Occasional gentle rubbing is usually not harmful, but frequent or forceful rubbing can irritate the eye surface and, over time, may contribute to issues like worsening certain corneal conditions. It can also spread allergens or germs around the eye, so if the eyes often feel dry or itchy, using lubricating drops and taking screen breaks is a safer way to get relief.