Today, I'd like to talk about five bad habits that can cause more jowls or marionette lines and if you're afraid of them or if you already have them, you'll want to improve them. So let's get started.
1. The mouth is open all the time
If you're like most people, you spend a lot of time with your mouth open. Maybe you're talking, maybe you're eating, or maybe you're just breathing. Either way, if your mouth is open all the time, it's going to cause some major stress on your skin where your mouth is open.
That skin is being stretched all the time way more than it's used to being stretched. And when it's overstretched for too long, it loses its elasticity and becomes saggy.
But there's an easy fix, all you have to do is close your mouth! When the skin is stressed by being stretched open all the time, it needs to be relaxed and toned up so that it can regain its elasticity. But this can only happen if you stop stretching it open constantly!
2. Resting bitch face
One of my favorite exercises to relax is this neck stretch. I like this one because it's kind of a big stretch and it helps with my posture. If your neck is tight, it can also be uncomfortable, so I recommend doing this only if you don't have neck pain.
To do the SCM stretch, you want to look up instead of down. If you're getting a good stretch in your upper trapezius muscle, it'll feel like a big stretch in the inner parts of your shoulder blades. You should also point your tongue out and swallow 10 times during the exercise (this is called "Yoga Mudra").
This particular exercise can help improve asymmetry by working on both sides of your body equally (for example, if one side always moves more than the other). It can also help strengthen your upper trapezius muscle as well as correct poor posture!
3. Smoking or using straws & water bottles
If you're drinking a smoothie or something, it's okay to use the straw to help you sip, but don't overdo it. The lower muscle is where you want to put most of your focus, but it's also important not to strain the upper muscles, which can cause wrinkles and lines. Alternate between using the lower muscle and the upper muscles for about one minute at a time.
4. Whistle
If you're like me, you probably don't do a lot of whistling. But it's okay! It's good to do it it's just a positive thing that helps reduce tension.
However, you don't want to overdo it with this muscle. You only want to use it for a short period of time and then move on to something else.
A great way to practice is by drinking through a straw and smoking (if you smoke). After that, try drinking water from a bottle or sipping from a cup all while using this muscle.
You'll be surprised at how much easier it is when you're done!
5. Side Sleeping
If you're side sleeping, there are some things you can do to make sure that you're not doing it in a way that could cause wrinkles. First of all, make sure you're not putting too much pressure on your face. This is especially important if you're pregnant or have other health issues that may increase the risk of wrinkles from sleeping on your side.
Second, try moving the pillow around a little bit so it's not just under one cheek, it should be under both cheeks. You can also try shifting it higher or lower so that both sides of your face are resting on it equally.
Third, make sure that you don't sag into the pillow as well. If you do this, it will cause more wrinkles because it will cause your face to stretch and contort into an unnatural position while sleeping on your side.
In summary, the first thing that's very often overlooked and underrated is your resting face.
It's not just about taping it shut, even when you're sleeping. It's about lifting up your mouth slightly so that it's not closed all the time. Your resting face is not good. Always try to lift up a little bit or else you'll end up with this droopy look on your face when you're sleeping.
I did a video about resting faces and how to improve them, so you can check that out too. But the main point is that when your face is resting, it should be flat or slightly raised. Don't do things like drinking from a straw or smoking out of a water bottle, because that will cause more tension in your jaw muscles and around here (pointing to cheeks). Relaxing these muscles will make us look younger by keeping our skin supple as we age.
And finally, another bad habit that people don't talk about much is sleeping on one side instead of both sides of the pillow every night. Because if you do this every day for years on end, it can cause sagging under your chin where we don't want it!
