Puffy face in the morning? Here are some simple exercises to drain your lymphatic system and counter face bloating
This has led to the rising popularity of another item—the gua sha. It's a skin care tool from China which has to be applied with some face oil across certain parts of the face to help the flow of blood—and according to traditional principles—even energy. But in modern times, there is only anecdotal evidence that it helps lymphatic flow which may eventually lead to reduced puffiness in the face.
There is also the face roller, made of stone, which claims to do the same thing. The gua sha also has electric versions, with different temperature controls. Some have suggested dunking the face into ice cold water first thing in the morning to promote the same thing: circulation.
While all these methods can be fun, being consistent and especially patient with them is quite difficult, which makes one ask whether there are other daily, scientifically proven way to make sure the lymph flow is maintained. The answer, as it almost always is to many questions about fitness and health, is exercise.
It's important to first understand how the lymphatic system works and why it might lead to bloating in the body. 'Your lymphatic system is a group of organs, vessels and tissues that protect you from infection and keep a healthy balance of fluids throughout your body. Lymphatic system organs include your bone marrow, thymus and lymph nodes," states a Cleveland Clinic video on YouTube titled How Does the Lymphatic System Work? The explainer uses the analogy of how a city works, with highways and streets and alleys and a garbage removal system. The lymph nodes are compared to waste treatment facilities where all the lymph fluid is gathered and goes through a cleaning process. 'It's a cleanup service, a drainage network, and a defence mechanism," the video adds.
These nodes, or pathways can over time become inflamed due to viruses or even due to a lack of flow, which might happen through a sedentary lifestyle, a lack of sleep, and many other factors. 'From dry brushing videos to signature spa treatments in luxury clinics, lymphatic drainage is now marketed as detoxifying, contour-enhancing, and even mood-boosting… Despite the influencer hype, lymphatic drainage does not melt fat or deliver permanent slimming effects. What it does do is reduce water retention and localised swelling, particularly after long-haul flights, illness or salty meals," states a Tatler article titled, Why Everyone Is Talking About Lymphatic Drainage—And What It Really Does.
Which brings us to exercise and its relationship with lymph nodes. I have tried gua sha and other methods, but it got boring quite quickly. So I decided to listen to some advice on a fitness video which said that hopping for 60 seconds after waking up is way more effective than scraping the skin with a device to reduce puffiness in the face.
The answer to whether this works or not may lie in the simple science behind how this system operates: 'The lymphatic system does not have an organ like the heart to pump fluid around your body. Lymph fluid relies on movement and the contraction of your muscles to make it flow," states an article titled, Exercise And The Lymphatic System, published on the Texas-based McAnderson Cancer Center website. It adds how 'the contraction of your muscles becomes the pump that helps the fluid get around your body."
There are six lymph centres in the body which need to be activated with flow and doing something as simple as jumping jacks can help the entire body move. But if you want to be more specific then you can choose a routine like the one Eligned has posted on YouTube and has garnered more than a million views (see above). There is absolutely nothing special about the routine and it looks like any 10-minute warm-up apart from targeting certain areas around the lymph nodes.
And if you're someone who doesn't want or can't do a lot of quick movement after waking up, then there is a calming yoga routine (see above) as well which can help lymph flow. Brought to you by one of the most liked yogis (and her dog Benji) on the internet, this one's by Yoga With Adriene and is well worth it.
Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator, writer and podcaster.
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