Yoga exercises is the practice of exercising your facial muscle, primarily to make it appear slimmer. It characterizes toning and stretching movements of the face muscles, which in turn helps to slow down the appearance of signs of aging.
Facial exercises are not entirely a new phenomenon as they’ve been around for quite sometime. Historically, facial muscle exercises were prescribed for the treatment of specific health issues like Bell’s palsy, strokes, and other conditions affecting muscle control.
How is it done?
A 2018Trusted Source study revealed how effective the five below listed exercises including another 27 are with reducing the signs of aging among middle-aged women. This study found that 30-minute exercises carried out consistently by these women in the first two months were all it took to achieve the astounding results. The study also found that many of the participants noticed visible changes on their faces on nothing less than 18 facial features.
Eyebrow Lifter
The eyebrow lifter helps with relaxing the large muscle at the front of your forehead. Apparently, this muscle is often overused. It’s also the cause of several expressions of stress, rigidity, and facial stiffness.
- Facing inwards, place your fingertips at the center of your forehead and gentry press into your forehead while moving toward your temples.
- Release your fingers and continue the steps for another 30 seconds.
Neck Massage
With the neck massage, tension is alleviated in the neck. It also helps with correcting skin sagging in the neck and jaw area.
Place your fingers at the top of your neck as you slightly tilt your head back.
Gently apply pressure as your fingers move down toward your collarbone.
For a few seconds press into your collarbone and then release your fingers.
Repeat the steps for 30 seconds.
Face Tapping
Face tapping is all about relaxing your face to boost circulation
- Using your fingertips, rhythmically tap your skin, starting with your forehead.
- Keep tapping around your face in the direction of your jawline.
- Continue to tap across the shoulders and the front of your neck area.
- Tap across behind your neck toward your head.
- At this point you’ll have to rub both of your to help generate heat.
- Finally, with your hands cupped over your face, take several deep breathes and exhale.
Lion’s Pose
Or Lion’s breath as it’s also known helps with the reduction of stress. It also helps with the relaxation of facial muscles.
- While seating, brace your hands on your knees or the floor while leaning forward.
- Deeply inhale.
- Next with your mouth wide open, stick out your tongue, while stretching out your tongue toward your chin.
- Make a “ha” sound and exhale your breath forcibly across the base of your tongue.
- Relax and continue to breathe normally.
- Repeat these steps up to 7 times.
- The breathe deeply for about 3 minutes.
Jaw Unlocker
This face yoga exercise helps with engaging your neck and jaw muscles.
- Be in a seating position with your jaw in a downward position. Next make a fist and place your left hand on the outside of your jaw.
- Next, turn your head to the direction of your fist. You’ll feel a stretching right on the side of your neck.
- Hold your hand still.
- Then, for a few seconds, press your jaw toward your hand.
- Then release gently.
- Repeat the steps again on the opposite side.
Wash your hands and moisturise your face with oil or serum for a smooth movement of your fingers over your face. It’ll also help the skin absorb the content quicker.
Benefits of Facial Exercises
- Tightens the skin around the jawline and firm the neckline.
- Helps with preventing sagging of the skin around the eyes, otherwise known as under eye bags.
- Beneficial for decreasing tension, pain, and straining due to overworked muscles.
- Helps with smoothening of fine lines and wrinkles
- Helps with toning the cheeks and make the face less rounded
- Promote a proper form of nostril breathing
- Regular practise is helpful for clearing the skin through an increase in blood flow and circulation to the skin.
Are there risks and side effects involved with face yoga?
What is known out there is not much in this regard, however, it’s advised not to squeeze or squint a lot while observing this exercise as that would be counterproductive to what you’re trying to achieve. The focus of the exercises is to lift and expand rather than the aforementioned. Just adhere to set instructions and do it correctly.
In conclusion, Face yoga is a helpful form of exercise for an overall appearance of the face due to its strengthening, stretching and softening of the face muscles. Additionally, it’s helps with feelings of gratitude associated with self-love practices, which is essentially what face yoga is all about.
Gladys Christian | Contributing Writer
