“Lack of restorative sleep can leave eyes swollen in the morning, because elevated cortisol levels change the slat balanced in your body, leading to water retention,” Dr. Bowe says. More, better sleep revitalizes eyes, but even if you cannot get additional zzz’s, reduce bags by sleeping propped up on two pillows or with your pillow angled up slightly to help elevate your head. “When you lie flat, fluid can gather around your eyes,” which exacerbates puffiness, says Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D., a dermatologist in Washington DC.
