Aging causes skin to become less elastic and start to sag. Wrinkles, lines and drooping ensue when accumulated fat pulls down on the skin, reports the New Zealand Dermatological Society. When underlying facial muscles weaken, they cannot hold up the skin and sagging becomes more pronounced. Moisturizers, lifestyle and cosmetic surgery are options to keep skin toned. Facial exercises strengthen the facial muscles to provide a more youthful and healthy appearance.
Shifting Face Yoga Exercise
Many yoga poses revolve around relaxing facial muscles to relieve stress. The shifting face yoga exercise requires you to engage the facial muscles, giving them a total workout. Start the exercise by sitting in a relaxed position and rubbing your hands together to stimulate your circulation. Hold your hands out in front of you with palms facing your body. Stack your hands on top of each other to from a barrier. Imagine you are acting in a play and must change your expression with the rise and fall of the curtain.
Take a deep breath and hold your hands above your face and relax all the facial muscles as you exhale. Then bring your hands down in front of your face and force all your facial muscles downward as your hands pass over your face. Hold as long as it feels comfortable and then pass your hands upwards and return to a neutral expression. Repeat the movement from left to right and right to left, stretching all the muscles as your hands pass in that direction. Finish the routine by passing your hands upwards.
Double Chin Exercise
A double chin is a common occurrence with age because of years of gravity pulling on your face and the weight of accumulated facial fat. Firm up your neck muscles to tone your face and provide additional support. Start by sitting in a relaxed position facing forward. Raise your head and look at the ceiling. While still looking up, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth and open your lips and teeth slightly. You should feel your neck muscles tighten as your press. Breathe in and out slowly through your nose as you hold for a count of 10. Return your head to the start position, relax for a couple seconds and repeat 10 times.
Eye Muscle Exercise
Habitual expressions add to the number of wrinkles on your face. If you frown a lot, you'll eventually develop furrows between your eyebrows. When doing facial exercises, be sure to concentrate on the muscles targeted by the routine. This eye exercise can strengthen the muscles surrounding and underneath the eyes. Relax your face with your eyes open in a comfortable position. Slowly wink one eye without moving any other face muscles. Hold the wink for a second and open. Repeat 50 times on each eye.
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