How to Land A Plane: The Importance of Peripheral Vision
We live very focused lives. We remain so closely fixated on what is right in front of us, that we rarely recognize what is in the edge of our vision. We stare at pages in a book, screens in our hands, faces in front of us. We do this without recognizing what else we can see. There is another way to see the world, through a wider lens.
Full-disclosure, this post isn’t really about landing an airplane. It’s about peripheral vision as a self-regulation technique. Self-regulation is about our ability to control our emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Peripheral vision refers to what exists just on the outskirts of what we see; what lives out in the corners of our eyes.
After losing both engines shortly after take off, putting everyone on the plane in imminent danger, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles are the two pilots who safely landed an Airbus A320 on the Hudson River. Listening to Captain Sully talk about this, his ability to self-regulate and use his peripheral vision to safely handle an emergency situation were clear. One physiological sign that our body is perceiving threat is losing peripheral vision, also known as tunnel vision. With only minutes to maneuver a plane, with no engine power and full of passengers, over a largely populated city, Sully fought off the instinct to panic, and utilized peripheral vision to “force calm”, saving the lives of everyone onboard.
We cannot be stressed when we are in peripheral vision.
Peripheral vision activates the part of our nervous system that calms us. It allows us to slow our breath. Our heart rate slows as we become more balanced in our mind and body. We are in a chemically calm state, incompatible with stress hormones. If we feel stress, we can force calmness by utilizing peripheral vision to regulate our body and state of mind.
5-Steps to Self-Regulation: Practicing Peripheral Vision
One way to experience peripheral vision as a self-regulation skill is to practice it as such.
Find a point to focus on
Keep your eyes still and focused on the point. Notice what is on the side of your focus point
Allow your field of vision to widen even more. Recognize what you see out of the corners of your eyes. You can try holding your hand up to your side and moving it until you can’t see it anymore.
While keeping your eyes focused and forward, noticing the magnitude of your visual field, note what you feel in the rest of your body. You might feel warmth in your hands or stomach as your body chemically relaxes.
Center your vision back to the point you choose to focus on.
You can practice this multiple times a day. You can run through these steps in seconds, or take minutes. When first learning to use peripheral vision as a self-regulation technique, it can be helpful to consult with a professional to help guide the skill. There are various ways to raise your peripheral awareness.
Shout out to J. Eric Gentry, PhD for first introducing me to this technique in his Certified Clinical Trauma Professional training