Why does facial gymnastics help against wrinkles? And how do you do these exercises at home? We asked health psychologist and yoga therapist Lizzy Wakefield.
Frown lines, crow's feet or a double chin? More and more people attack them with facial yoga. In fact, research has shown that these little exercises can make you look three years younger. Why does facial gymnastics help against wrinkles? And how do you do these exercises at home? We asked health psychologist and yoga therapist Lizzy Wakefield.
As normal as it is to guide your abdominal, behind and limb in the gym, so unusual is a workout for the muscles in your face. Research into the effects of facial yoga us to believe that this needs to change. For example, researchers at Northwestern University taught 32 facial yoga exercises to a group of women between the ages of 40 and 65. They were instructed to do facial yoga several times a week for 20 weeks. The subjects needed about thirty minutes for these exercises. After t
wenty weeks, a group of dermatologists looked at the before and after pictures of the subjects. They did not know in what order the photos were taken. The post-photos estimated the women to be three years younger on average.
Natural botox
According to health psychologist and yoga therapist Lizzy Wakefield, it is not surprising that facial yoga helps to reduce wrinkles and thus make you look younger: “Without realizing it, we sometimes over-tighten and relax the muscles in our face. Which muscles these are can differ per person. For example, one tightens the jaw muscles unnoticed and the other the eyes. How and how much you tighten the muscles in your face not only affects wrinkles, but can also cause headaches or sleep problems. Facial yoga makes the muscles in your face firmer, you can relax them better and your face gets better blood circulation. It works like natural botox. ”
The more often you do facial yoga, the better you get to know the muscles in your face. So practice makes perfect. So facial yoga makes you much more aware of how you use the muscles in your face. ”
Face yoga in the supermarket
From your forehead to your lower lip, there is an exercise for almost all muscles in the face. But do these exercises also work if you already have a deep frown wrinkle and crow's feet? “Things that are already there can become less. I can't promise you completely gone. You should not expect changes overnight either, because it is slow. The great advantage of facial yoga is that it feels nice and is easy. Do it after you have smeared your face with cream, if you are in the car or if you are in line at the supermarket. Some exercises appear extreme and others are very delicate. Nobody will notice! ”
6 facial yoga exercises against wrinkles, bags and chins
Do you want to tense and relax the muscles in your face more often? Then try these exercises from Lizzy Wakefield. You can do again the workout as often as you like. If necessary, build up the repetitions per exercise. For example, start with five or five seconds per exercise. Tip: keep breathing through your nose relaxed during the exercises.
1. Exercise against puffiness: “Place your thumb, index and middle finger on the skin under your eyes. Gently pull the skin down while trying to close your eyes firmly. ”
2. Workout against a double chin: “Put your neck ahead faintly and your jaw somewhat up, make happy lips. Hold this exercise in and out for a few breaths.
3. Exercise against frown lines: "Open your eyes as wide as possible without frowning." Or: make a frown and 'pull' this frown away with your fingertips in at least five seconds. From the center of your face to the side of your head. ”
4. Exercise against lines under your nose: “Make a big smile and bring the corners of your mouth towards your ears. Spread your eyes and look cheerful. "
5. Exercise for the whole face: “Breathe in through your nose, close your eyes and tighten all facial muscles. Make fists of your hands. Breathe out through your mouth, open your eyes wide and stick your tongue out as far as possible. ”
6. Workout for a wrinkle-free face: “Make the sound 'oooo' and the sound 'aaaaa' with or without sound.”
2022