Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation (active) is a technique where you tense and relax specific muscle groups to create an awareness of tension & relaxation.

When doing this technique, you should avoid areas of your body that have a weakness or is a problem area. A passive version of this technique, where one imagines the muscles relaxing (instead of actually tensing) can also be just as effective.

Your body needs relaxation to reduce stress and undo the fight-or-flight response. It helps to plan for 20 minutes of relaxation every day. This is time for yourself.

Sit or lie comfortably with your head supported. Limit distractions like phones. Listen to soft music or just sit in silence with eyes open or closed. Then try the following active or passive techniques

How to do active progressive muscle relaxation

Progressive relaxation helps your whole body relax. To try this technique, follow these steps (remember to avoid weak or problem areas):

1. Find a quiet room. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie on your back.
2. Breathe in deeply to a slow count of 5. Feel your belly, chest and back expand. Breathe out slowly to a count of 5.
3. After a few minutes, breathe in deeply. Tighten the muscles in your feet. Notice how it feels. Hold the tension for 3 seconds.
4. Breathe out while relaxing the tightened muscles. Notice how relaxed you feel.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with another muscle group. You can move from your feet, calves and thighs to your stomach, arms and hands.

How to do passive progressive muscle relaxation

To try this technique, follow these steps:

1. Take a few deep breaths in and out.
2. Imagine your scalp relaxing and let that relaxation flow down to your forehead, then your eyelids.
3. Focus your awareness on the muscles in your face, jaw and neck and feel a letting go of any tension there.
4. As you let that tension drain away bring your awareness to the muscles in your shoulders and between your shoulder blades. Imagine those muscles relaxing soft and loose as any tension there just flows away free from stress and tension.
5. Let the calm relaxation flow down into your chest, back, and pelvis releasing any tension that may be there. The muscles in your chest, back and pelvis will become softer, looser, more relaxed.
6. As you inhale allow the muscles in your abdomen to relax again letting go of any tension becoming more relaxed, softer, looser.
7. Enjoy this ongoing comfort as it now flows down into your thighs.
8. Move down to your calves and imagine the muscles in your calves become softer, more relaxed. Then continue down to your toes and feet. Pic­ture your toes and feet becoming more relaxed as any tension in your toes and feet flows away.
9. Enjoy the relaxation that now spreads throughout your body, from the top of your head down through the soles of your feet.
10. When you are ready, you can open your eyes feeling relaxed and refreshed.

Remember the 4 A’s

• Avoid any stressors. If someone is smoking when you are trying to quit, leave the room.
• Accept a stressor you cannot change (like a job loss) by knowing that your feelings are normal.
• Alter how you deal with a stressor. If a constantly ringing phone is a stressor, let the answering machine pick up.
• Adapt to some stressors. When starting a new exercise program, instead of focusing on how hard it will be, think how good you will feel.