I have been kind to my face over the years, but my Neck, not so nice. I do not know about you, but I have been neglecting my neck for years, limited sunscreen, lack of moisturizing, and no special TLC. Who even knew, I had a neck till now, gosh, it is an area that can really show our age. Well, I am caring for it now, by using neck cream, facials to include treatment for the neck and decollate and now some added facial neck yoga. I may not be able to repair all the sun damage, but I am seeing improvements.  

Exercise starts at the NECK?! Your face and neck need to be toned too, no one wants a turkey neck or sagging jowls or eyes. If all the other muscles in our body need tender love and care, then why shouldn’t the 57 muscles of the face and neck? There is a fantastic way to naturally lift the face and help you feel calmer on the inside too.

We all want to look younger, and yoga is one of the best secret weapons of aging gracefully. Face yoga targets all problem areas that come with aging, from crow’s feet to smile lines. You can even tone your neck and jawline for a firmer and more lifted chin. “Face yoga” describes facial exercises that are performed to tone and stretch the muscles in the face. Facial exercises actually have a long history of use in the treatment of certain health conditions that affect muscle control, including strokes and Bell’s palsy. As such, it seems to make sense that the same exercises would help slow down the look of aging skin, since studies show that age-related issues like sagginess (deterioration of facial tissue) are due in part to muscle loss.

• Helping smooth wrinkles and fine lines
• Lifting the skin around the eyes and preventing under eye bags/sagging
• Toning and plumping the cheeks
• Tightening the skin around the neck and jawline
• Decreasing straining, pain and tension in overworked muscles (similarly to how regular yoga benefits people with muscles tension and helps promote overall relaxation)

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

Based on what we know about facial exercises in general, the face yoga method seems to work in these ways:

• Stimulates facial muscles, helping improve their tone and “tightness.” This can explain why it may help some people experience reduced signs of aging, such as sagging.
• Increases blood flow/circulation to the skin, which can be helpful for clearing skin.
• Reduces strain and tension in the face muscles that are caused by repeated facial expressions throughout the day, such as squinting. Massage and acupressure techniques are also incorporated into the face yoga method, helping relax key points in the face that tend to become tense. 

Unlike some types of yoga, such as Bikram or Ashtanga, there is not one standard face yoga sequence to follow. There are lots of different exercises you can try, in no order, to see if they provide you with any benefits or relief. The exercises are referred to by names such as:

• Cheek lifter and Eyebrow lifter
• Happy cheeks sculpting
• Scooping: jaw and neck firmer
• Temple developer
• Upper eyelid firmer

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

[*Note: Try not to wrinkle your face too much or squint while performing these exercises, which can be counterproductive. Focus of lifting and expanding instead.]

1. Eye-Opener

Use your fingers to form “binocular” shape around your eyebrows, cheeks and across the face. Lift your eyebrows without wrinkling the forehead too much, then squint and then lift them again. Aim to repeat about 50 times.

2. Forehead Lifter

Interlace your fingers over your forehead and apply light pressure while attempting to lift your forehead. Repeat 50 times, and/or hold for up to one minute.

Another way to do this is to place both palms on your temples, push your palms up and back to lift the sides of your face, then hold for five seconds and keep repeating.

3. Cheek Lifter

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

4. Neck and Jaw Stretch

Tilt your face upward slightly, then lift your chin up and forward at a 45-degree angle and over toward one shoulder, holding there for three seconds. Return to center, then repeat to the other side. Repeat 20 times on each side or aim to keep repeating for one or several minutes straight.

Another good way to stretch and strengthen your neck and jaw (only if you have no neck issues) is to tilt your head all the way back and hold, repeating for up to a minute.

5. Pucker Lips

Pucker your lips, loosen them slightly and repeat. Repeat for up to one or several minutes.

6. Smiler

Smile 50 times without wrinkling your eyes, then hold a soft smile for 50 seconds straight.

7. Massage + Face Savasana

Clean your hands and face with a gentle cleanser, then massage your face all over (you may want to use coconut oil to make this easier). Gently press your fingertips into your facial muscles to relieve any strain. Make sure to pay attention to your “third eye” (the space between your brows), massaging for 30 minutes and circling around your eyes. (You may want to try using your fits around your forehead and eyes too.)

Finish with a warm towel laid over your face as you lay down and relax. You can check out facial yoga exercises on You Tube for guided examples. 

Does face yoga cause wrinkles? To avoid worsening lines and wrinkles, face yoga exercises should be performed without scrunching and squinting your face too much. The idea is to stretch and firm the muscles without wrinkling the skin. You may need to practice for at least several months to see any results. Most face yoga experts recommend ideally practicing up to six days a week for around 30 mins

Overall, while face yoga may potentially make you feel less tense and look more refreshed, you still do not want to give up on other ways of taking care of your skin — such as using sun protection, eating a healthy diet, sleeping enough, and drinking plenty of water.

Just think you could do these simple exercises while driving, the smile and pucker lips are easy. It just might make traffic more enjoyable. Lower stress and tighter tone all from a pucker or smile. Give it a try, you may be more surprised than you think.   Happy puckering and smiling 

#facialyoga #smiles #healthylifestyle #Yoga #trysomethingnew