Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a simple exercise to help reduce anxiety and tension in the body. When you live with prolonged stress, you may not be aware of the tension you carry in your body. By learning to identify the tension and being able to trigger a release of those tense muscles, you can experience a reduction in stress as well as other health benefits that contribute to your self care.
Steps for PMR
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a type of relaxation technique that involves tensing and then relaxing individual muscles in a sequence. It is not recommended to engage in this exercise if you are experiencing bone or muscle injuries, or other medical conditions that could be impacted by it. Be sure to check with your medical practitioner to ensure it is safe for you to do it.
Common versions of this exercise start at the toes and move their way to the head. Alternatively some prefer to go top-down, and others only do a grouping where they carry the most tension day-to-day. For reference, a common bottom-up variation is: foot, lower leg, upper leg, buttocks, stomach, chest, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, mouth, eyes, forehead. The order of muscle groups can vary. Some people do one side first then the other. Alternatively, some like to do both sides simultaneously.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Sequence
- Find a quiet spot where you can be alone without any distractions. You can choose to sit or lie down.
- Identify a muscle group you are targeting to start the exercise.
- Take a slow, deep breath.
- Squeeze the muscle group as hard as you can for 5 seconds. It may cause some discomfort or shaking, but it should not be painful.
- Release the tensed muscle and exhale at the same time.
- Wait 10-15 seconds before you move to the next muscle group. Repeat until you go through all the muscle groups.
Notice the difference in the state of your muscles in the two opposing sensations. Understanding the difference can be hard at firs. But it is necessary to understand what your muscles are doing in response to stress. With practice the exercise gets easier. Start learning the difference between tense and relaxed muscles when you are not in a high anxiety state. It will be easier to implement the exercise later when you are in a state of heightened stress once you know how to do it. There are also videos online and apps that you can download if you are struggling to do the exercise on your own. Some also find they can more easily engage in the exercise by having background music that is soothing.
Benefits of PMR
Reduced anxiety & depression
Besides the aforementioned benefit of reduced stress, research has also shown a reduction in anxiety and depression. This in turn improves your overall well-being, and it can also improve sleep. If you are having trouble getting to sleep, try to do a sequence while lying in bed. I was surprised the first time I tried it. The mindful focus on the tensing and relaxing of my muscles, accompanied by breathing exercises, helped me release the recurring thoughts of the day. It brought my focus to my body, which also served to ground me.
Pain reduction
With several weeks of practice, some types of chronic pain can diminish. This also reduces the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks. Many office jobs result in high tension in the shoulder area and increased neck pain due to the nature of sitting at a desk all day. PMR can not only help you release the tension in the area, it also improves the physical function once you release it.
Temporomandibular joint sufferers, or TMJ disorder as it is commonly known as, can also benefit from this technique. TMJ is often found in people who have suffered major accidents or who engage in bruxism. This is the grinding and clenching of their teeth in response to stress. Bruxism is an unconscious behaviour. It can happen during the day or at night while sleeping, and it leads to stiffness and locking of the jaw. Intense episodes can last for days, impacting the ability to eat and speak. By engaging in PMR, you can learn to reduce these symptoms.
Internal systems
Finally, PMR improves systolic blood pressure, lessening your risk for hypertension, or high blood pressure, which in turn reduces your risk for heart disease and stroke which is amplified by stress. By consciously engaging in behaviour that improves your overall well-being, you are improving your quality of life.
Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation in your self care routine.
Given the non-invasive nature of this self care strategy, it is safe to do daily, if approved by your medical practitioner. It is valuable on its own as a mindfulness strategy, or compounded with other therapies like meditation, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), or other positive psychology techniques. By learning to recognize what tension feels like, you can release it from your muscles and reduce your overall stress. Progressive Muscle Relaxation helps boost the overall benefits to both your mind and body.
IMAGE CREDIT: Unsplash | Arzu Sendag.