7 Facial Yoga Exercises And Their Anti-Aging Benefits

There’s no shortage of yoga styles, but here’s a new type you may not have heard of before: face yoga. In addition to having potential anti-aging effects, face yoga can help you relax and relieve tension, especially in the muscles around your temples and between your eyes. (This type of tension can contribute to problems like eye strain and tension headaches).

And that’s not all.

What is facial yoga?

“Facial yoga” describes facial exercises performed to tone and stretch facial muscles, usually with the goal of fighting the signs of aging.

Facial exercises have actually been used for a long time to help slow the appearance of aging skin, since studies show that age-related problems, such as sagging (deterioration of facial tissue), are due in part to muscle loss. Although there is not yet much evidence that the face yoga method works as well as other procedures like creams and botox, proponents of the practice say its benefits may include: :

Help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles
Lifting the skin around the eyes and preventing sagging and puffiness under the eyes.
Tone and plump the cheeks
tighten neck and jaw skin
Decrease tension, pain and tension in overworked muscles (in the same way that regular yoga benefits people with muscle tension and promotes general relaxation).

How does it work?

You can think of face yoga as a gentle form of “strength training” for your face and neck muscles. The more you repeat certain facial yoga exercises that target different parts of your face, the more you notice that the muscles and skin begin to change slightly for the better.

From what we know about facial exercises in general, the face yoga method seems to work like this:

– It stimulates the muscles of the face, thus helping to improve their tone and their “tightness”. This may explain why it can help some people reduce signs of aging, like sagging.

– Increases blood flow/circulation to the skin, which can be helpful in lightening the skin.

– Reduces facial muscle tension caused by repeated facial expressions throughout the day, such as squinting. Massage and acupressure techniques are also incorporated into the facial yoga method, to relax key points on the face that tend to be tense.

How much does facial yoga cost? It’s probably hard to find face yoga instructors or regular classes at yoga or fitness studios in your area, which means practicing online is probably your best bet. If you have the option of attending a face yoga class/workshop, expect to pay between $50 and $200, depending on location and duration. Watching YouTube videos and reading books/articles are easy and inexpensive ways to learn how to perform facial exercises, especially when you compare the cost to botox, professional massages and facials, and anti-blemish creams. cheap age.

Facial yoga exercises

Unlike some types of yoga, like Bikram or Ashtanga, there is no standard facial yoga sequence to follow. Rather, there are a number of different exercises you can try, in no particular order, to see if they provide you with any benefit or relief. In one study, 32 separate facial exercises were performed, each for about a minute. Examples of exercises include those that target the lower and upper cheeks, the area around the eyes, the jawline, the neck, and the middle of the forehead.

Below are variations of some popular facial yoga exercises that you can practice at home:

[Remarque : essayez de ne pas trop plisser le visage ou de ne pas plisser les yeux en faisant ces exercices, ce qui peut être contre-productif. Concentrez-vous plutôt sur l’élévation et l’expansion du visage].

1. Open your eyes

Use your fingers to form a “binocular” shape around your eyebrows, cheeks, and entire face. Raise your eyebrows without creasing your forehead too much, then squint your eyes and finally raise them again. Try to repeat the exercise about 50 times.

2. Forehead lift

Interlace your fingers across your forehead and apply gentle pressure, trying to lift your forehead. Repeat 50 times and/or hold for up to one minute. Another way is to place both palms on your temples, push your palms up and back to lift the sides of your face, then hold the pressure for five seconds and continue repeating.

3. Cheek lift

Open your mouth wide, keep your teeth covering your lips and lift your cheeks. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then return to normal. Try to repeat 50 times. (Try not to squint while lifting the cheeks).

4. Neck and Jaw Stretch

Tilt your face up slightly, then lift your chin forward at a 45-degree angle and toward one shoulder, and hold this position for three seconds. Return to the center, then repeat on the other side. Repeat 20 times on each side, or aim to repeat for one or more minutes at a time. Another good way to stretch and strengthen your neck and jawline (only if you don’t have neck problems) is to tilt your head all the way back and hold it, repeating for up to one minute .

5. Purse your lips

Purse your lips, release them slightly and repeat the operation. Repeat the operation for one or more minutes.

6. Smile

Smile 50 times without squinting, then maintain a gentle smile for 50 seconds straight.

7. Facial Massage + Savasana

Cleanse your hands and face with a mild cleanser, then massage your entire face (you can use coconut oil to make this easier). Gently press your fingertips against the facial muscles to relieve any tension. Be sure to pay attention to your “third eye” (the space between your eyebrows), massaging for 30 minutes and working around your eyes. (You can also try using your adjustments around your forehead and eyes). Finish with a warm towel draped over your face as you lie down and relax.

Is facial yoga effective?

While more formal research into this method is warranted, there is some evidence to suggest that these exercises, when performed on a regular basis, can lead to changes in facial muscles and potentially skin.

One of the most authoritative studies looking at the effects of facial yoga to date was conducted by researchers at Northwestern Medicine and published in JAMA Dermatology. The study showed that when adult women practiced facial yoga exercises on a regular basis for 30 minutes a day over a period of 20 weeks (four to five months), most of them experienced changes in facial muscles and skin, including fuller, firmer cheeks and tighter skin.

The researchers involved in the study rated the participants’ photos using a standardized facial aging scale. They assessed 19 facial characteristics of the participants at the start of the study and then at the eighth and twentieth week. Evaluators found that fullness in the upper and lower cheeks was significantly improved, and overall, participants appeared to have looked about three years younger after completing the 20-week facial yoga program.

How long does it take for face yoga to work?

You will need to practice for at least several weeks, or more than six in most cases, to see results. Most face yoga experts recommend practicing up to six days a week, for about 30 minutes a day, for the practice to really pay off. If practicing facial exercises isn’t really your thing but you’re intrigued by the idea of ​​paying more attention to the connection between your face and your overall health, consider learning more about face mapping. face.

This ancient practice, which has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, can help you learn how to treat underlying health conditions that cause symptoms in specific areas of your face. Face mapping is used by some people to treat issues such as redness, rashes from food allergies, wrinkles, puffiness and fine lines, and to improve overall mood and energy.