The science behind why we blink

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - We do it roughly every five seconds and new research says it's good for you.

We may never know why we spontaneously blink our eyes every few seconds, but we do know it keeps them lubricated. Japanese researchers are now saying blinking lets our brain take a nap.

Researchers at Japan's Osaka University say blinking provides a momentary release of attention, giving your brain a mini-break. 

How did they figure that out? They monitored brain activity among people who were watching videos and found these blinking breaks would happen simultaneously. Meaning, the majority of those watching the same video would blink at the same time.

“I never thought of it that way,” said Susan Perkins of Belchertown. “I would just think you're blinking because you were nervous.”

In the past, blinking patterns have also been connected to lying. Experts are hoping the study could help them further understand that correlation.