Just imagine a fantastic spa appointment.
The quiet atmosphere, the gentle sound of the fountain bubbling, the soothing scent of essential oils, and the promise of all your cares and worries just melting away as your muscles are massaged. As great as that sounds, a quality spa appointment is expensive and not everyone is able to get away to a spa whenever they want. However, you can do face massage techniques at home to bring the health benefits to your body with no appointment required!
The Benefits of Face Massage
Face massage is similar to whole body massage as the same techniques are used, such as Swedish massage or deep tissue massage, but they are done on a much smaller and gentler scale. Massage is excellent to stimulate blood flow in the muscles, relieve soreness, and it also helps to reduce pain. While you may not think you have tight muscles, like the ones in your back, the face often has many tight areas that can be relaxed during a face massage.
The muscles are not the only things that are helped, the lymphatic system is also assisted through massage. The lymphatic system is similar to a drainage network removing excess fluid in the body. Eating overly salty foods or being in hot, muggy environments (that make you sweat) will increase the fluids within your face causing a puffy-like look. By doing face massage techniques, you can assist the body to remove those fluids and drain them, thereby leaving your face less puffy and swollen in appearance.
Interestingly, the whole body is affected positively by massage. It can help reduce your blood pressure, regulate your hormones back to normal levels, improve your immune system, and even elevate your mood to help with depression-like symptoms.
The Balance of the Body
The body likes everything to be balanced in its systems, and a face massage is a great way to help bring that balance to the body. The most significant way that the body brings balance is by the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response. The NEM detects minute and significant changes in the body, and sends help via six different circuits to deal with stresses in the body whenever an imbalance is found.
One such imbalance that a lot of people tend to struggle with is depression-like problems and anxiety. The little worries and cares begin to build up in your life and overwhelm you causing physical and mental issues. When the neuroaffect circuit is imbalanced, you can have symptoms such as
Sadness
“The blues”
Panic attacks
Anxiousness
Fatigue
Increased negativity
Feeling overwhelmed
Unable to sleep
Feelings of impending doom
All of these symptoms can be caused by one or many things such as challenging work environments, family stress, or long-lasting illnesses. The body attempts to release hormones through the various circuits, like dopamine and serotonin, to help the body feel better through the difficult times. However, these hormones are not endless in their supply. Cortisol is also another hormone released to help bring the body back into a healthy state, but as it begins to run out, the body may start experiencing symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
AFS can be very minor as it begins with generalized symptoms such as tiredness or needing more caffeine than usual. As it progresses, the body shows more signs of needing more stimulants to keep going. You may have carbohydrate (such as pasta) and sugar cravings as the body needs a quick energy source to maintain the status quo. However, the energy that is found in sugar is similar to a band-aid. It helps momentarily, but the problem has to be taken care of underneath. If the problem is not removed, it will continue to grow and return once the band-aid has been removed. AFS needs to be addressed by giving the body the proper nutrients and relaxation techniques to restore it back to the appropriate balance.
The D.I.Y. Techniques for Face Massage
When considering doing your own face massage, it is best to plan in advance to give you the best experience as you possibly can. So, look at your schedule and find a time that will be optimal for you.
Gather Your Supplies
You will need a quiet room that is dimly lit and preferably will have no interruptions. For those with small children, you can schedule this time during the children’s nap time. Other great times would be in the evening, somewhat close to your bedtime because an excellent face massage can make you sleepy.
An eye mask is helpful to relax your eyes. If you do not have one, a thicker washcloth dipped in warm water is also beneficial to bring relaxation to you.
A nice smelling room is good too. You can diffuse essential oils in a diffuser, or you can put a few drops of the oils on a tissue near your head so you can smell them. Some deliriously relaxing scents are lavender, sandalwood, and vetiver. Of course, make sure you only source your essential oils from quality suppliers that certify their pureness as cheaper suppliers often mix in synthetic fragrances and filler oils.
Lastly, set the mood with some gentle sounds or music. Whether you choose rainfall, ocean waves, some soft Mozart, or even Tibetan singing bowls, find something that relaxes you in your unique way.
Face Massage
Begin to bring your consciousness to your breath, and slow it down.
Adrenal breathing is beneficial here. Breathe in slowly, expanding your stomach and lungs, until gently full. You can imagine an elliptical shape that grows as you inhale, and narrows as you exhale. As you exhale, just let the air out and focus on your muscles as they relax. You don’t have to force the air out, just let it go on its own.
With your fingertips, begin gently rubbing around your eyebrows and up your forehead.
Try using medium pressure here, as the forehead can take a little bit more pressure. Spend two to three minutes here encouraging the muscles to relax.
Next gently work your temples (the small indentation next to the eyes) for one minute. Use a circular motion with mild-medium pressure.
Make sure you do not go too deeply or hold continual pressure here. The temples have blood vessels just underneath them, and you may feel lightheaded if you put too much pressure here and stop the blood flow.
The nose and “T” zone are next. Start massaging at the middle of the nose and work your way up carefully until you reach the middle of the forehead. Do this for one minute.
Keep breathing! Pause for a moment and do two or three cycles of adrenal breathing here to keep you focused on your breath.
Now that your fingers are warmed up, start to very lightly massage around the eye sockets. Be very careful here and do not use too much pressure as it can hurt the eyeball.
Back to the nose, do a gentle massage either side of the nose with medium pressure. You can place fingers on the sides of the nostril to help release sinus pressure and open the nasal cavities.
You may notice that deep, nasal breathing is now more natural to do!
Continue the face massage by massaging the cheek muscles and encourage them to relax.
Pay particular attention to the sides of the jaw as it is often clenched tightly when you are stressed. Use medium to firm pressure on the jaw if it feels useful to you.
Lastly slide up from the chin to either side of the jawline to massage the ears. Go around the top of the ears with a tugging sensation to help it release, and then slide back down the side of the neck.
When making this motion, you are encouraging the lymph drainage of the neck to drain more effectively. You want to do this many times with mild-moderate pressure. Make sure this feels good to you.
Please note: If you have recently been sick with cold-like symptoms, you may feel knots or bumps along the lower jawline and side of the neck. Slow down and carefully rub these knots to help encourage the congested fluid to move. You may find this technique helpful to do in the shower as the steam will also help to release those blockages.
As you find the blissful waves of relaxation beginning to cover you, finish out your face massage by doing three to four more rounds of adrenal breathing to enhance this wonderful feeling, and let yourself drift off into a beautiful night of sleep.
Can I Do a Quality Face Massage on Myself?
Yes, you can! A great face massage does not need special training. Find a quiet room, slip into something comfortable, turn on some relaxing music, and follow these steps carefully. You can massage your way into a blissful night of sleep.
Conclusion
The next time you wish for a getaway at a spa, just remember that you can have a pleasant face massage in the quiet and comfort of your own home. This simple massage can bring so many benefits of balance to your body and help to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and “the blues.” So don’t delay, your appointment time is now.
