You probably know about Hatha and vinyasa yoga, but have you ever heard of face yoga? It may sound strange, but it’s designed to relieve tension in the face and reduce wrinkles. Believe it or not, we store a lot of stress in our faces, especially in the eyes and forehead. With enough practice, facial exercises can help you relax and produce an anti-aging effect.
The facial muscles rarely get a workout, so regularly performing these exercises is crucial. They will keep you looking youthful and revitalize your energy, primarily if you work long hours staring at a computer. This type of work often makes people feel drained at the end of the day due to lack of movement. Face exercises can help because they help unlock stored tension and release blocked energy.
The Benefits of Face Yoga
Doctors often prescribe face yoga to people with certain health conditions that impact muscle control, such as strokes. These exercises can also reverse aging since research shows muscle loss plays a role in wrinkles and sagging skin. People who do face yoga regularly report the following benefits:
- It helps alleviate wrinkles, especially around the eyes and forehead
- Reduces eye bags and sagging skin
- Strengthens and lifts cheek muscles
- Tones skin around the neck and jawline
- It prevents tension and strain in exhausted facial muscles, much like traditional yoga does for the body
Most forms of yoga have a sequence for practitioners to follow, but face yoga is more customizable. You can try many facial exercises to see which ones benefit you the most.
For instance, one study involved participants doing 32 unique face yoga workouts to stimulate muscle growth and relieve stress. The exercises targeted muscles in the cheeks and around the eyes, forehead, and jawline. Some face workouts included cheek and eyebrow lifters, cheek sculpting, and temple developers.
Below, we’ll offer a few ideas for face exercises you can try in the comfort of your home. Practice for at least thirty minutes daily, six days a week, for the best results. Remember not to squint or wrinkle your face during the exercises, instead focusing on opening the facial muscles.
6 Face Yoga Workouts to Slow Down Aging
Try these amazing facial workouts to help minimize the visible signs of aging.
1. Eye Brightening Yoga Moves
For this face exercise, start by placing your fingers in a circle shape around your eyebrows and cheeks. Next, lift your eyebrows slightly, squint, and lift them again. Repeat the exercise at least fifty times for the best results. The above video shares several additional techniques to improve the muscle tone around your eyes.
2. Forehead Sculptor
Lock your fingers and place them over your forehead, applying slight pressure during the exercise. Then, try to lift your forehead with your fingers still in place. Hold the face yoga exercise for at least one minute. As an alternate method, put both palms on your temples and push your hands back to lift the facial muscles. Hold for five seconds and repeat as desired.
3. Cheek Lifter
With your mouth open wide enough for your teeth to be visible, lift your cheeks and hold for ten seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat at least fifty times. Try to avoid squinting or wrinkling your facial muscles during the workout. The video shows a variety of exercises to add to that routine.
4. Neck and Jaw Tightener
For this exercise, lift your face slightly, then move your chin forward until lit at a 45-degree angle. Face toward one shoulder and hold the position for about three seconds. Return to the center and repeat on the other side. Perform this exercise at least twenty times on each side, or hold on each side for several minutes. Alternatively, you can tilt your head back as far as possible and hold for at least one minute. This exercise will increase flexibility in the neck and jaw.
5. Grinner
Smile fifty times consecutively, carefully avoiding squinting or wrinkling the eye muscles. Hold a smile for at least one minute at the end of the exercise. This exercise will help relieve tension in the jaw and cheek muscles.
6. Face Massager
First, wash your face with your favorite scrub or cleanser, then massage your facial muscles in a circular motion. You can use your preferred massage oil, such as lavender or coconut oil for this exercise portion. Just read the label first to see if it’s safe for facial applications. Next, massage your third eye area for at least 10 minutes to receive unwanted tension. After you’re finished, lie on your back with a warm towel over your face. Use this time to relax and reconnect to your highest self.
Study on the Benefits of Face Yoga
Currently, few studies exist to confirm the benefits of facial exercises. However, some research suggests that face yoga can help strengthen facial muscles and reduce wrinkles with regular practice. Researchers from Northwestern Medicine analyzed the benefits of face yoga on adult women who performed exercises for thirty minutes daily over twenty weeks. Many participants noticed improvements in their facial muscles and skin, such as fuller cheeks and more sculpted features.
The team analyzed participants’ photos by utilizing a standardized facial aging scale. They rated 19 features of the participants’ faces before and after the study. Researchers noticed significant improvements in upper and lower cheek fullness, and participants appeared about three years younger at the study’s end.
Final Thoughts on Face Yoga Exercises to Slow Aging
If you’ve never tried face yoga, perhaps the study above will encourage you to try it. Researchers observed remarkable improvements in participants’ facial features, particularly the cheek muscles, after twenty weeks of exercise. Volunteers performed several movements, including cheek and eyebrow lifters, temple developers, and eyelid firmers.
With a healthy lifestyle consisting of a balanced diet, exercise, and quality sleep, face yoga can help slow aging and improve energy levels. If you’d like to try these exercises, set aside at least thirty minutes daily to practice. Like anything else, consistency and dedication are vital to seeing results.
Face yoga is a form of self-care that helps you have a positive relationship with yourself. We often neglect ourselves in today’s world, but we can’t pour from an empty cup. Never forget how much you matter and deserve your love and affection more than anyone else.
