That first glance in the mirror can say a lot about you, your body, how your night was and your health. If your eyes are bloodshot red even before you’ve had coffee, it’s not just a skincare issue. Morning eye redness is often a sign that something’s off and that your body is signalling to something- whether it’s as simple as dry air in your bedroom or as serious as glaucoma.

The catch? Red eyes are not a diagnosis. They may be a symptom, and one that can be indicative of many conditions. Getting the reason behind the redness is crucial to alleviating it and safeguarding your sight. Here's an examination of the seven most frequent causes — and why you should take them seriously.

Also Read: Why Do People See A Tunnel Of Light During Near-Death Experiences?

1. Sleep Apnea and CPAP Side Effects

Obstructive sleep apnea not only interferes with your breathing — it may interfere with your eye health as well. Those who have this condition tend to sleep with their eyes half-open, drying them out. And for those who are on CPAP therapy, the constant flow of pressurized air can blow up into the eyelids, drying them further.

Sleep apnea dry eyes are also more severe in the morning and may make the whites of your eyes appear red and inflamed. If you also snore loudly, are very tired all the time, or your bed partner has noticed that your breathing stops during sleep, speak with a doctor. Addressing the apnea and refitting the CPAP mask may alleviate both the eye and sleep symptoms.

2. Dry Eye Syndrome

If your eyes aren't making enough tears — or the tears they do make aren't efficient — you might have dry eye syndrome. It can bring stinging, burning, redness, and blurred vision, particularly upon awakening.

Sleeping with a ceiling fan, air conditioning, or heating vent blowing on your face will make it worse. Your sleeping position counts, too: side-sleepers sometimes keep one eye slightly ajar, allowing moisture to escape.

Risk grows with age, contact lens wear, deficiency in vitamin A, and autoimmune conditions like lupus. Treatment extends from over-the-counter eye drops to prescription medicines that stimulate your eyes to produce more tears.

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3. Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Pink eye isn't something to worry about in early childhood. Adults may wake up with red, irritated eyes caused by viral, bacterial, or allergic conjunctivitis. If there's discharge, the eyelids may be crusty in the morning. Red eyes without discharge are more likely from bacteria. Viral pink eye tends to result in watery discharge and swelling of the eyes. Allergic conjunctivitis can cause lots of itching.

Bacterial and viral types are contagious, so washing your hands, with new towels, and no eye makeup are a must. Although antihistamines work well for allergic conjunctivitis, bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotic drops. Viral pink eye generally heals by itself, but cold compresses can relieve pain.

4. Allergies at Work Overnight

Seasonal or environmental allergies may cause morning redness by inflaming the sensitive blood vessels in your eyes. Pollen, animal dander, dust mites, and mold spores will stick to your eyelashes and eyelids throughout the day. When you go to bed, these allergens are in direct contact with your eyes for several hours, causing morning irritation.

The giveaway? Itching. When you wake up with eyes rubbing, allergens are often the offender. Pre-bedtime facial washes, allergen-proof bedclothes, and closed bedroom windows can help. In resistant situations, antihistamine eye drops are sometimes required.

5. Ocular Rosacea (Eyelid Acne)

Yes, acne can indeed get on your eyelids. Ocular rosacea — a long-term inflammatory disorder — can cause eyelids to appear red, puffy, and irritated. It usually occurs in combination with facial rosacea but can appear on its own.

People in their 30s to 50s are most commonly affected. Triggers include sun exposure, spicy foods, and hot beverages. While there’s no cure, symptoms can be managed with warm compresses, eyelid scrubs, and prescribed topical or oral medications. Treating the underlying rosacea can reduce morning redness and irritation.

6. Glaucoma

Though uncommon, waking up with red eyes may indicate acute angle-closure glaucoma — a true emergency. It occurs when fluid accumulates quickly within the eye, causing intraocular pressure to shoot to perilous levels.

In addition to redness, symptoms may involve intense pain in the eye, headache, blurred vision, nausea, and halos around lights. If left untreated immediately, this can result in permanent blindness in hours to days. If you ever find yourself with these symptoms, immediately seek ophthalmologic attention.

7. Subconjunctival Hemorrhage

If ever you've awoken with a bright red eye but have no pain, you've probably had a subconjunctival hemorrhage — a ruptured blood vessel just beneath the surface.

It appears scary but is generally not a problem. It may occur from coughing, sneezing, rubbing your eyes during sleep, or even from routine blinking. The blood will usually be reabsorbed in one to two weeks without medical intervention. Nevertheless, if it occurs over and over, an eye physician can test for underlying conditions such as high blood pressure or clotting disorders.

When Should You Go See A Doctor?

Morning redness that happens occasionally and clears quickly may not be cause for concern. But if it becomes frequent, is accompanied by pain, discharge, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light, it’s worth getting checked.

Your eyes have limited means of communicating distress, and redness is among them. Untreated, some causes — such as glaucoma or chronic dry eye — can cause permanent damage. A thorough eye exam will identify the issue and head off complications.

Waking up with red eyes is no laughing matter. Whether it's the result of allergies, dryness, infection, or more severe eye disease, the sooner you know the cause, the sooner you can safeguard your vision. Simple tweaks, such as tweaking the sleep environment, keeping allergies at bay, or being compliant with chronic conditions, can pay dividends — both for your eye health and your morning routines.

In moments where life seems to slip away, many people describe seeing a bright tunnel with a strong light shining at the end. The image feels almost otherworldly. Whether it happens during major surgeries, car crashes, or sudden accidents, people from different places and backgrounds share accounts that sound strikingly alike. Films, novels, and personal stories often mention this same vision during a near-death experience. While some link it to a glimpse of the afterlife, there may be a scientific explanation for why the mind creates this scene.

Is it a sign of something beyond the physical world, a reaction of the mind in distress, or part of how the brain behaves as it shuts down? Here is what researchers have learnt.

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Do You Really See A Tunnel Of Light When You Die?

Yes. Scientists agree that many people do report seeing a tunnel of light when death is close. Even though death is certain, much about it still feels unclear. For generations, people have tried to understand what takes place in those last moments. Only in recent years, as medical care has advanced, have researchers been able to look more closely at near-death experiences, also known as NDEs, which occur when someone comes dangerously close to dying.

One of the most repeated features of NDEs is the bright tunnel, a sight described by millions. It is not a quick trick of the mind. People often speak of it as deeply emotional and unforgettable. This leads to difficult questions. Does this vision suggest something beyond physical life, or is the brain responding to extreme stress in its final effort to survive?

Why Do You See A Tunnel Of Light During Near-Death Experiences?

When someone nears death, the body begins to change very quickly. Vital functions start to drop. The heart may slow, reducing the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain. Body temperature can fall, and breathing may become weak or uneven. Along with these physical changes, the brain also reacts in its own way.

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Tunnel Of Light During Death Experiences: What Scientists Found

A team at the University of Michigan studied what happens in the brain as a person dies. They examined four people who were removed from life support and found that two of them showed a strong surge of brain activity right before death.

The pattern of activity was similar to what occurs when a person is awake and using higher thought. These bursts were produced by gamma waves, which are linked to conscious processing. In one patient, the rise in gamma activity was nearly three hundred times higher than normal.

Jimo Borjigin of the University of Michigan suggested that this might show a form of hidden awareness that becomes active just before death.

Professor Borjigin explained that some people near death may recall seeing or hearing things or may feel as though they are watching their body from above, or even moving through space. She said her team may have identified the basic brain steps connected to this type of hidden consciousness.

She added that future research needs to involve people who survive such events, so their brain activity can be compared with their own descriptions of what they experienced.

Another study in the Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association also explores how consciousness may shape near-death experiences. The researchers note that there is still much to learn about how the brain creates awareness and how that awareness influences what people see or feel as they approach death.

A team of Indian scientists has uncovered a rare mutation in the USP18 gene that appears to drive repeated neurological deterioration in children. This unusual mutation offers important clues about a disorder previously seen in only 11 cases worldwide, now identified for the first time in India.

The work was carried out by specialists at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Bangalore, along with researchers from Ramjas College, University of Delhi, and Redcliffe Labs. But what does this neurological condition involve?

The study, featured in the journal Clinical Dysmorphology, describes a never-before reported variant, c.358C>T (p.Pro120Ser), adding to what is known about Pseudo-TORCH syndrome type 2.

What Is Pseudo-TORCH Syndrome Type 2?

Pseudo-TORCH syndrome type 2 is an extremely uncommon inherited disorder that affects how a child’s brain forms and functions. The symptoms often resemble those caused by congenital infections, though no actual infection is present.

According to the researchers, it is marked by serious brain abnormalities such as intracranial calcifications, a smaller-than-usual head size, and white matter injury. These problems can lead to seizures, stiffness of the limbs, and often early death. The condition results from recessive mutations in genes like USP18.

What Is The USP18 Gene?

The USP18 gene provides instructions for making the Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 18 protein, which helps regulate the body’s type I interferon response. It performs two major tasks. It works as an enzyme that removes ISG15 tags from certain proteins, and it also dampens interferon signaling by attaching to the IFNAR2 receptor. Disturbances in this gene are linked to interferon-related disorders and some cancers, according to the National Institutes of Health.

In a healthy state, USP18 keeps the immune response balanced so the body does not produce unnecessary inflammation. When the gene is altered, this control weakens and the immune system reacts in an exaggerated way, which can damage the developing brain.

“The finding shows how clinical experience combined with advanced genetic tools can change outcomes. For years, we treated symptoms without a clear explanation, but identifying this new USP18 mutation has changed both the diagnosis and the child’s path forward,” said Dr. Vykuntaraju K. Gowda from the Department of Pediatric Neurology, IGICH, speaking to IANS.

What Doctors Found?

The investigation began with an 11-year-old girl who had shown symptoms since infancy, including repeated episodes of febrile encephalopathy, meaning fever-associated unconsciousness, along with seizures, developmental delays, and microcephaly. Her brain scans over time showed growing calcium deposits in several regions.

To trace the cause of her recurring neurological episodes, the doctors advised detailed genetic analysis. Using exome sequencing combined with mitochondrial genome testing, the team uncovered a previously unknown alteration in the USP18 gene, finally providing an explanation after years of uncertainty.

This new mutation changes the USP18 protein’s shape, reducing its ability to keep inflammation under control. The overly active immune response offers a clear reason for the child’s repeated fever-linked neurological decline. Recognising this link is important because it helps clinicians spot early signs, avoid unnecessary infection-related treatments, and pay closer attention to conditions caused by immune overactivity instead.

“This is also the first reported instance of a USP18-related disorder showing up as recurrent febrile encephalopathy,” said Dr. Himani Pandey, part of the research team.

The study underscores the value of early genetic testing in children with unexplained neurological issues and suggests new possibilities for more focused care in the years ahead.

In a breakthrough investigation published in Nature Medicine found that GLP-1 medicines are not just weight loss drugs, but actually brain reprogramming drugs. The study highlighted how deeply GLP-1 medications influence our brain's reward circuits, cravings, and the electrical rhythm.

Case Study

The study took a 60-year-old woman who had a lifelong "food noise", and underwent deep-brain stimulation that targeted the nucleus accumbens, which is brain's craving centre. The woman was also to start tirzepatide, an antidiabetic medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and for weight loss, which is an active ingredient in Mounjaro. As she reached her full dose, her compulsive food thoughts went silent, however, five to seven months later, the neutral signal returned before her cravings did, while she was still on the medication.

How Was The Study Conducted?

Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania, monitored brain activity directly from the nucleus accumbens in people using tirzepatide.

The research followed three patients with severe food preoccupation and uncontrolled eating. Two underwent deep-brain stimulation, while the third received tirzepatide and also had electrodes implanted around the same time. When cravings or intense food thoughts occurred, researchers observed strong delta-theta waves in the nucleus accumbens. These slow brain signals are linked to reward, motivation, and compulsive eating.

Once the patient on Mounjaro reached the full therapeutic dose, the changes were dramatic: for nearly four months, they reported almost no episodes of “severe food preoccupation.” Their delta-theta activity also fell to very low levels, even during moments when cravings typically occurred. However, while initially there was a suppression in the brain activity that triggered cravings, the cravings returned over time.

Why Does This Matter?

This is the first time scientists have been able to directly record craving-related brain activity in real time and compare it before and after using a medication like Mounjaro. Although the study involved only three people, the findings help explain why medications in this class appear to influence more than just appetite. They may also reshape how the brain processes reward and desire around food.

The researchers say larger studies are needed, but early signs point to a clearer understanding of how obesity drugs change both behavior and brain biology.

What To Keep In Mind?

Dr Simon Cork, senior lecturer in Physiology, Angila Ruskin University said that there must be some caution that should be applied while looking at the findings of the study.

Dr Cork says, "This study specifically looked at a marker of brain activity associated with periods of “binge eating” in patients with obesity associated with food preoccupation. This is important because this is a specific (and rare) condition associated with obesity. They found that in three patients, periods of intense preoccupation with food was associated with a characteristic change in brain activity in a region of the brain associated with reward...While this study is methodologically very interesting, it has to be clear that this is only one patient with a very specific condition that is associated with obesity and so shouldn’t necessarily be generalised to the entire population.”