Progressive Muscle Relaxation:
It Really Works!
Progressive muscle relaxation, also known as PMR, is a highly effective
exercise for those suffering with stress and anxiety. It is a method of
exercising that involves the tensing and releasing of muscles and is used to
promote health and wellness for the mind and body.
It can have an enormous positive effect on the mind since the mind
and body are so closely connected. PMR helps to break the negative cycle
that stress and anxiety suffers find hard to break.
Stressful Thoughts = Tense Body
Tense Body = Stressful Thoughts
As with chronic stress and anxiety, muscle tension is a very common
complaint. When stressed, it's not uncommon for us to develop a habit of
tensing muscles. It's important to note that when muscles are tense for
a prolonged period of time, they create a memory of staying that way.
Many people with chronic stress and anxiety have an inability to
physically relax their muscles because they have been tense for long.
Their muscles just naturally stay tense out of habit.
Progressive muscle relaxation is a method that trains your muscles to
return to their relaxed state. This particular method of stress
management helps to break the habitual tension in the body, which if
done enough, can bring the body back into a relaxed state.
With stress and anxiety, the mind has an important role with
progressive muscle relaxation. By relaxing the muscles, you make it
easier for your mind to follow the same path. By practicing this method
you are benefiting your mind and body together.
How Does It Work?
When you take a muscle that is tense and apply more pressure to it for an
specific period of time and then release that pressure, the muscle is left more
relaxed than it was originally. This is a natural and scientific response.
That's why PMR is effective and really works!
The idea of these exercises is to help you develop a positive habit of
releasing tension by relaxing.
How Often Do You Need To Practice?
The more you practice progressive muscle relaxation the better you will
become. It becomes easier with time, patience and practice! Practice as often as
you can. Once a day is good but if you are trying to break free from anxiety and
panic, I suggest a couple times a day. The more you do it, the more control you
will have over your muscles and how much tension you will experience.
Helpful Tips Before Beginning PMR
Search For a Quiet Place - It's best to find a quiet place
when practicing this method. You want to do this in a place where you will have
no distractions.
Create Comfort - Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. Make sure the temperature of the room
is comfortable (not too hot or cold). Your bed or a reclining chair is a good
place to do these exercises.
Use Aromas that Relax - You can also use your favorite
fragrances for added benefit. Pick a fragrance that makes you feel relaxed. By
filling the room with an aroma that brings you peaceful feelings you will be
enhancing your relaxation experience. Lavender is known for it's ability to
promote relaxation. My absolute favorite thing to use is lavender soy candles.
They burn long and clean and really do promote relaxation.
Discover Revival Soy Candles
Aromatherapy has long been used to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Using Visualization with PMR - Use your mind when practicing
progressive muscle relaxation. Both work well with each other. Visualize things
that make you peaceful and relaxed. Close your eyes while doing PMR and
visualize your most peaceful place. For more information visit
Visualization
Exercises.
Getting Started
Prepare for progressive muscle relaxation by concentrating on your muscles.
See if you notice different areas that are more tense than others. We all have a
favorite place that we keep our tension locked when we are stressed. For some it
may be your jaw (resulting in TMJ), for others it may be the stomach (resulting
in IBS and Colitis) and many others hold their tension in their neck, face or
even their lower back. We are all different and have our own habits of handling
stress.
You want to tense your muscles for 10-15 seconds each and then you want to
relax the muscle as much as you can while saying "relax" as you let the muscles
go.
You can start with any part of your body first. There is no particular order
to do progressive muscle relaxation. However, I like to start at my head and
work my way down to my feet so that I don't miss any body parts along the way.
If you notice you still have tension in different areas of your body, it is
okay to repeat as often as necessary until you get the results you need in your
muscles.
It's also important to take a cleansing, relaxing breath in between each
muscle exercise. Take a deep breath, fill your lungs as much as you can, hold
for 1 second and then slowly release the air.
PMR Example Steps
Face - Tighten cheeks, eyebrows, forehead by scrunching and
tightening. Smiling as big as you can while tightening your eyes shut also
works. Hold and then release.
Neck - Push your chin into your chest, hold and then
release.
Shoulders - Push your shoulders as far back as you can,
pushing against the bed/chair. Hold and then release.
Arms - Hold arms straight along side your body. With palms
facing down, push against the bed as hard as you can. Hold and then release.
Hands - Make a fist as tight as you can. Hold and then
release.
Stomach - Pull your stomach in as far as you can. Imagine
pulling your belly button to your back. Hold and then release.
Buttocks - Tighten your buttocks, hold and then release.
Legs - With legs straight, push heels down into the bed,
hold and then release.
Feet - Point toes firmly, hold and then release.
End your progressive muscle relaxation session with complete body relaxation.
Try to relax your entire body as much as possible while focusing on your
muscles. Think of yourself as a limp noodle that is just melting into your bed.
As you focus on your muscles, say "relax" and try to let go of those muscles
more each time.
This exercise helps to increase awareness and helps you get in touch with
your body. Therefore, you may notice more often when your body tenses up at
different times of the day. Having this awareness will allow you to take control
of your muscles and keep them in a relaxed state.
Need More Help?
If you have a hard time learning progressive muscle relaxation on your own, I highly encourage
the use of a high quality teaching DVD or CD.
With more than 28 positive reviews, this Cd comes highly recommended:
Progressive Relaxation & Autogenic Training
by Carolyn McManus
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