Work those cheeks and flex those eyes!
The face is one of the most important human muscles, at least from a societal perspective. The subtle twitches and ticks of your facial expression are one of your most important tools for communicating with others, arguably even more so than your ability to speak. But as any old person will tell you, as you age, your skin gets saggy and droopy. It’s not like you can’t smile anymore, but for some folks, it’s a bit of an unpleasant state. If it bothers you, all you have to do is treat your face like any other muscle and exercise it!
Facial yoga is a system of carefully devised facial stretches designed to tone your facial muscles, keeping them taut, shiny, and soft. In addition to generally slowing the process of aging on your skin, it’s also a good way to relieve tension building up in your facial muscles, just like regular yoga with your other muscles. It’s not an especially difficult process, either. Long as you can move your neck and head, you can do facial yoga.
Here’s an easy one: jaw-tightening. Keep those jowls nice and tight well into old age. Your teeth will thank you. To tighten your jaw, lift your chin until it forms a line from your jaw to your clavicle. Turn your head right until you’re looking at the ceiling over your shoulder, then jut out your jaw. Hold that for five seconds, return and repeat, then switch to the left side.
Here’s another easy one: under-eye exercise. With all the screens we stare at on a regular basis, people have become much more prone to under-eye bags. To work your lower eyes, look upward, and close your eyes lower-lids-first. Hold that for five seconds, return, and repeat.
Just like your arms and legs, facial muscles need some pressure to stay in shape, so don’t be afraid to make some funny faces every now and then.
