Poor sleep and glaucoma may be more closely connected than previously understood. Recent research links short sleep, insomnia, and sleep apnea with changes in the retina and a higher risk of glaucoma. If you regularly struggle to sleep, there are practical steps you can take, including supporting healthy sleep and circulation, and getting medical help for an underlying sleep disorder.
Glaucoma damages retinal ganglion cells and the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Eye pressure is important, but it is not the whole story. Researchers are also studying blood flow, oxygen supply, oxidative stress, and the energy needs of these sensitive nerve cells.
In 2025, researchers in Kyoto, Japan, compared sleep and retinal health in 5,958 adults ages 40–80. 1 Participants wore devices that objectively measured sleep and underwent retinal imaging. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was greatest among people getting six to seven hours of actual sleep per night. Sleeping fewer than six hours was independently associated with a thinner retinal nerve fiber layer.
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Can one daily multivitamin help you remain active and independent as you grow older? New research offers a cautiously encouraging answer. In a large randomized study, adults age 60 and older who took a daily multivitamin for three years reported slightly better functional health than those who took a placebo. Functional health includes how well you manage everyday activities and how much symptoms interfere with daily life.
The study included more than 16,000 participants from the COSMOS trial. The differences were modest and were measured with questionnaires rather than objective physical tests. The findings were presented at the NUTRITION 2026 conference but have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. They are interesting, but they do not prove that a multivitamin prevents disability or treats fatigue, shortness of breath, or swelling in the feet. New or worsening symptoms like these require medical evaluation. 1
A multivitamin can help fill nutritional gaps, especially when appetite, food choices, medications, or changes in digestion make it difficult to obtain enough nutrients. It cannot replace a varied diet, exercise, sleep, prescribed treatment, or regular eye care. Evidence also does not show that routine multivitamin use prevents every chronic disease. The most sensible goal is nutritional support, not a promise of disease prevention. 2
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Brain fog can make it hard to recall words, concentrate, or complete everyday tasks. Even after spending enough time in bed, you might feel exhausted. Your eyes might feel dry, burn, or have trouble shifting focus.
What causes brain fog? Poor or broken sleep is one common cause. Sleep problems can affect your energy, memory, attention, and eye comfort. They can leave you feeling mentally cloudy and physically drained during the day.
Sleep problems are not the only possible explanation for tired eyes and brain fog. Diabetes, anemia, thyroid disorders, medications, nutritional deficiencies, and other health conditions can cause similar symptoms. In this article, we talk about symptoms of brain fog, poor sleep, and why tired eyes and brain fog often occur together. We also point out how excessive screen time can lead to brain fog. And we offer practical tips: eye exercises, easy lifestyle changes, nutritional support, and when to call a doctor.
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Want to support healthier vision and improve your overall health as you age? One practical place to begin is to eat fewer ultra-processed foods and choose more whole or minimally processed foods. You do not need a perfect diet, nor do you need to eliminate every packaged product. Small, consistent substitutions can improve the quality of your diet while reducing ingredients and processes that promote inflammation, oxidative stress, poor blood sugar regulation, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
A diet dominated by ultra-processed foods may raise the risk of serious age-related eye conditions, including macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. These products may contribute to high blood sugar, inflammation, and oxidative stress that damage delicate cells and blood vessels in the eyes. A diet lacking essential fatty acids and other nutrients may also interfere with healthy tear production and contribute to dry eye. When you choose these foods, you miss out on crucial nutrients. And, many ultra-processed foods are high in calories while providing few useful nutrients. Hence the term “junk food.” 1 2
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made from extracted ingredients and additives rather than intact foods. They often undergo processes such as molding, pre-frying, or chemical modification and may contain flavors, colors, sweeteners, emulsifiers, or other substances that are rarely used in a home kitchen. 3
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Detoxification is essential for maintaining health. It is the body’s natural process of identifying, breaking down, and eliminating potentially harmful substances. The liver does most of this work, while the kidneys, digestive system, lungs, skin, and lymphatic system help remove waste through urine, stool, breath, and sweat. The body continuously detoxifies itself; it does not require special cleanses or extreme diets to perform these essential functions. Several mechanisms in the body accomplish this work.
Two of the most important are the glymphatic and lymphatic systems.
The glymphatic system is the brain’s waste-clearance pathway. It relies on glial cells and cerebrospinal fluid to remove metabolic waste, especially during deep sleep.
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GLP-1 drugs have produced remarkable weight-loss results for many people, but can these medications have serious side effects? Weight-loss medications containing semaglutide, including Wegovy and Ozempic, reduce appetite through several interconnected systems involving the brain, digestive tract, pancreas, hormones, and nerves. 1
Semaglutide does not appear to cross the blood-brain barrier freely. Instead, it can reach or influence selected appetite-regulating areas, including regions of the hypothalamus and brainstem. 2 By affecting appetite and food-reward signaling, the medication can help you feel satisfied with less food and may reduce cravings and eating motivated primarily by pleasure rather than hunger. 3
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News for July 4, 2026. In this article:
Study Finds that Cannabis May Be Less Effective for Chronic Nerve Pain
Omega-3 Fish Oil Shows Promise Against Type 2 Diabetes
Can You Keep Your Telomeres Long?
Pleo Muc eyedrops for Dry Eye – BACK IN STOCK
Suggested Supplements Consider
Research linked daily moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea to an 18% lower risk of dementia. 1 A major JAMA study followed more than 131,000 adults for as long as 43 years, which gives this research weight. The researchers looked at coffee, tea, dementia risk, and cognitive function. They found that people who drank more caffeinated coffee had a lower risk of dementia and were less likely to report subjective cognitive decline. Caffeinated tea showed similar favorable associations, while decaffeinated coffee did not show the same connection.
Glucosamine sulfate is one of the most popular supplements taken for joint support. More than 40 million Americans take this compound daily for stiff joints and pain associated with osteoarthritis. Eight percent of seniors report taking glucosamine, making people ages 60 and up the biggest market for this supplement. What does the research show about its effectiveness and potential side effects? In this article, we discuss these questions, and reveal a 2026 study that links accelerated dementia in glucosamine supplement users who already showed signs of dementia.
Glucosamine sulfate is primarily studied for its potential to relieve osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms, especially in the knees. Research also looks at its role as a potential cartilage-preserving agent, particularly in relation to osteoarthritis management.
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Vitamin C is best known for immune support, but its role in healthy aging is broader than that. Ascorbic acid, the chemical name for Vitamin C, helps the body make collagen, supports blood vessel integrity, assists wound healing, improves the absorption of iron from plant foods, and acts as an antioxidant. These functions matter throughout the body, including in the brain and eyes.
A recent large study of older adults adds another reason to pay attention to vitamin C status. Researchers found that lower plasma vitamin C levels were associated with lower gray matter volume and weaker connectivity in a major brain network involved in memory, attention, and self-reflection. The study does not prove that vitamin C prevents brain shrinkage or cognitive decline. However, it does suggest that healthy vitamin C levels may be one marker of better brain aging. 1
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Could NMN help the body age more successfully? NMN, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, is a naturally occurring compound that helps the body produce NAD+, a vital substance found in every living cell. NAD+ plays an important role in cellular energy, DNA repair, mitochondrial function, inflammation control, and other processes that help the body stay resilient over time. However, NAD+ does not remain steady throughout life. One observational study in humans found that NAD+ levels may drop by about 50% by age 50.
For older adults, this decline may be important. Lower NAD+ levels have been associated with metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, reduced mitochondrial performance, and other changes tied to aging and chronic disease risk. Since NMN helps the body make NAD+, researchers are studying whether NMN supplementation may help restore some of this lost cellular support. NMN has recently entered the supplement market. Early research suggests that NMN may benefit several areas of aging health, including energy metabolism, insulin function, brain and nerve health, cardiovascular support, muscle function, inflammation balance, and eye health.
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Natural Eye Care, Inc.
3 Paradies Lane
New Paltz, New York 12561
Phone: 845.475.4158
NaturalEyeCare™ started in 1999 to help the public and professionals learn about complementary care in eye disease treatment.
The information and recommendations we offer are based on over 30 years of peer review research and personal clinical experience which guides us in providing a valuable resource to our readers, customers and patients regarding maintaining healthy vision naturally.
We believe that vision health is intimately connected to overall mental, physical and spiritual health. Therefore we encourage people to look at their overall lifestyle and diet as part of keeping healthy vision and reducing the risk of eye disease onset. This includes diet, regular exercise, and management of daily stress. If one has health issues such as high blood pressure, a thyroid imbalance, any autoimmune disease and/or are on medication(s), these possible contributions to eye disease should considered when working with your health care professional.
Please do not hesitate to call us at 845.475.4158 with any questions and concerns.
