Do you lie at night counting the hours because your head is still overflowing with thoughts and stress? After a busy day, it is not surprising that your body is still full of tension. Fortunately, there is a way to release the tension, and it only takes sixty seconds!
Stress in the body
When we are stressed, our sympathetic nervous system (the fight or flight response) is activated. This can cause us to hold stress in the body, including the head, neck, shoulders, and jaw.
“Some of the reasons we face stress are fears, worries, and emotional overwhelm,” explains Britta Hochkepel, naturopathic and holistic therapist. “Staring at computer screens also weakens the eye muscles and promotes the build-up of muscle tension in the forehead area. We tend to hold most of the facial tension in our jaw and forehead, between the eyebrows and above.”
Benefits of facial yoga
Facial yoga is therefore a good idea to lower stress in your body, reduce anxiety and improve liver function. Research shows that there is a link between liver function and anxiety, says mental health researcher Ben Warren. “The liver plays a key role in the body’s stress response by regulating the release of stress hormones such as cortisol.” When the liver is not functioning properly, this can cause you to experience even more stress hormones, exacerbating anxiety symptoms.
When your body is still full of stress, it is therefore logical that you do not fall asleep easily. But how do you relax your body? Simple, with a short exercise. On the Instagram account of holistic therapist Ness (@ness_healthandwellbeing) she shares a tutorial on how to do this facial yoga exercise yourself.
According to dr. Raffaella Gabassi, a cosmetic dentist and aesthetic expert, it explains why a short massage can have a lot of impact. She explains: “It is a known fact that all forms of facial relaxation – from soaking in a warm bath to head, shoulder and full body massages, as well as mind in body exercises such as meditation and yoga – contribute to a calmer inner and outer body. The same goes for your facial muscles.” A short massage will therefore ensure that you sleep better and retain less stress. We will definitely try this!
Source: Stylist.co | Image: Pexels