Did you know there are 57 muscles in the face, head, and neck?
The function of muscles in our bodies is to produce movement with the help of the skeletal and nervous systems. The muscles connect to bone and ligaments to create this movement.
Our facial muscles, however, function slightly differently. They connect directly to the skin so that they make our facial expressions.
It’s all in an expression…
The muscles of the face are the most active muscles in the body and are used more than any other muscle group. Each muscle in the face has a specific function that controls a particular movement resulting in different types of expression. These can include:
- Emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, or fear
- Movements: frowning, smiling, and raising the eyebrows
- Functions: chewing, talking, etc.
In addition to our facial expressions the facial muscles also help to form the shape of the face, including the nose, chin, and forehead.
As we get older…
Our facial muscles are in constant use, they are contracting and relaxing each time we pull a facial expression and over time this constant use starts to produce lines & wrinkles. In addition, as we age, they lose tone and elasticity and the contours of our face drop due to the constant stretching and lengthening of the muscles.
When it comes to looking after our facial muscles, some need to be lifted and strengthened while others need to be relaxed and de-stressed. When we target the muscles correctly, we can have an impact on shaping and toning our faces.
Face yoga and the muscles
An interesting fact is that each facial muscle connects to those around it so as you relax one you are lifting and toning another, so it is always important to do any facial exercises correctly.
When we use structured movements and exercise, face yoga helps to lift, tone, and strengthen the muscles, while massage and acupressure help to relax and de-stress them.
When you combine these techniques together, practiced on a consistent basis, you will begin to improve the tone and strength of each muscle. As with all exercise you will, over time, change the shape of the muscles resulting in your face looking lifted, toned and your features more defined giving you a healthier more youthful-looking appearance.
Start practicing today…
The beauty of face yoga is that you can practice it anywhere and you don’t need to dedicate a lot of time. Pulling a few poses each day takes just a few minutes. To get you started you can download my FREE “The 5-minute face lift without and knife and needles” guide HERE.
This short guide teaches you 6 core moves that will, once mastered, take around 5 minutes each day resulting in younger looking skin.
