A smile can go a long way, from brightening someone else’s day to actually bringing you more joy. A happier you is a healthier you, and while it’s important to keep your mind and body active, there is one area that we often forget to exercise…. our face!
Studies and researchers have found evidence that regular exercising of facial muscles can improve the appearance and reduce signs of aging. Just thinking about that makes us smile.
SportPort wants to help you exercise your happy muscles with this short list of some of our favorite facial exercises to help you smile, make you happy, and keep you healthy!
1. Exercise Your Smile!
Relax your face completely and do your best to bring your mind to a positive place while exercising, even if you aren’t feeling “happy” in the moment.
Smile slightly by tightening your cheeks and partially exposing your teeth. Hold this position for ten seconds.
Expand your smile to its full potential. Using the muscles in your cheeks, pull the corners of your mouth toward your ears in a full smile, exposing most of your teeth. Hold this for ten seconds.
After showing off your biggest smile for ten seconds, relax your face slightly and return to a “half-smile”. Hold for another ten seconds.
Repeat exercise several times.
2. Wrinkles Help Exercise a Face Lift
Improving muscle tone in the face can serve as a sort of “face lift” with regular practice, lending you more confidence along with improved muscle tone.
For this Face Lift exercise, relax your face, with your mouth slightly open.
Wrinkle your nose as much as possible and relax your upper lip. Then slowly bring your upper lip toward your nose, revealing your top teeth. Hold for ten seconds.
Slowly release your upper lip and then relax.
Repeat exercise several times.
3. Cheeky Shape-Up Exercise
Add shape to your cheeks and tighten the middle areas of your face with this simple cheek sculpting exercise.
Smile with only your lips, pulling the corners of your mouth toward your eyes, tightening your cheek muscles completely. Press your lips out slightly.
Beginning at the corners of your mouth, slowly slide your pointer fingers up and over your cheek bones toward the corners of your eyes. Once you reach the top of your cheek bones, hold your fingers there, maintaining pressure, for twenty seconds.
Relax your face.
Repeat exercise several times.
4. Resistance Training for Perky Cheeks
As with any muscle group, resistance training can improve the effectiveness of exercises. Repeat the previous Smile exercises using your fingers at the corners of your mouth to create resistance.
Fully smile and press your fingers to the corners of your mouth, then resume a half-smile, maintaining finger resistance. Hold for ten seconds.
Maintain finger pressure and attempt to stop smiling completely.
Hold for another ten seconds.
Repeat exercise several times.
5. Big “O” Exercise for a Facial Pick-Me-Up
Perk up your cheeks and pump-up your upper lip with this exercise.
Contract your cheek muscles by smiling, then create an “O” shape with your mouth. Cover your upper teeth with your lip.
Gently rest your index fingers under your eyes at the very top of your cheeks. Relax, then tighten your cheek muscles ten times. Each pick-me-up should push your fingers toward your eyes as the cheeks tighten.
Repeat exercise several times.
Resources & Extra Exercises to Bring a Bigger Smile to Your Face and Health:
