In the fast-paced activities of daily life, it is totally normal to feel a little stressed. But what might surprise you is that sometimes stress can even be helpful. Eustress, or positive stress, can lead to increased motivation and engagement in tasks. However, significant stress that stays for longer might decrease motivation and interfere with your functioning. This can have severe long-term effects on your physical and mental health. Progressive muscle relaxation is a skill that can be developed with practice.
Stress can be understood as a state of arousal, and what is the opposite of arousal? Relaxation! Therefore, relaxing should be a pretty good way to alleviate stress, shouldn’t it? Well, it is easier said than done. How can one actually relax in the presence of stressors? Following the above-mentioned belief in relaxation techniques, Edmond Jacobson developed the technique of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), which is very effective and has also laid the foundation of many modern relaxation procedures. Let’s find out what PMR is and how you can benefit from it.
What Is Progressive Muscle Relaxation?
The development of PMR as a relaxation technique began when Jacobson found out that people have the ability to reduce tension in their muscles. He believed they could do this by focusing on the physical sensations in their muscles and deliberately tensing and releasing specific muscle groups.
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique that can help you relax your body and mind by tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in your body. This can help you to release tension and stress and to promote a state of deep relaxation. It is a simple and effective technique that can be practiced anywhere, at any time. It is often used to help people manage stress, anxiety, and pain.
Moreover, it is a safe and effective technique that can help everyone, irrespective of age. The technique can be learned by a skilled professional, but it might be a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any new relaxation technique, especially if you have any health concerns.
The Benefits Of Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Apart from stress reduction, the numerous other benefits of PMR are:
- Physical Relaxation: Progressive muscle relaxation helps relieve the physical symptoms of stress, such as relaxing muscles, lowering blood pressure, and improving blood flow.
- Improved Sleep Quality: Many people like to practice this technique before bedtime as it helps them calm their body and mind, promoting a good night’s sleep. It makes it easier to both fall asleep and have a deeper sleep cycle.
- Increased Body Awareness: This technique will help you understand your body better by increasing your awareness of the sensations in your muscles. By gaining this awareness, you can gradually learn to notice areas of tension and consciously release them.
- Enhanced Mindfulness: PMR aims to bring your full attention to the present, what’s happening around you as well in your body.
- Emotional Well-Being: Progressive muscle relaxation can help mitigate stress and anxiety by activating your body’s relaxation response and improving your mood.
- Improved Cardiovascular Health: By helping your body calm down and relax, it improves the flow of oxygen to your muscles and organs.
Moreover, it is a simple and accessible technique that can be practiced almost anywhere, making it a convenient tool for optimizing self-care. The technique also helps in managing physical symptoms of acute stress like headaches and stiffness.
How To Do It?
To practice PMR, find a comfortable position where you will not be disturbed. You may want to lie down on your back or sit in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
- Start With A Muscle Group: Focus our attention on the muscles in your forehead. Bring all your awareness to the tension in the muscles in that particular area.
- Tense The Muscles: Feel the tension and hold it in your muscles for about 15 seconds. Clear your mind of other thoughts and feel how the tension in your muscles feels.
- Release And Relax: Deliberately ease the tension in your muscles by making them go limp. Pay attention to the feeling of relaxation and relief in your muscles.
- Experience The Contrast: Take some time to fully realize the difference between the tense state and the relaxed state of the muscle group.
- Move To The Next Muscle Group: Work your way down from your forehead to your toes. As you tense each muscle group, focus on the feeling of tension. As you relax each muscle group, focus on the feeling of relaxation. Continue moving systematically through different muscle groups, working your way from head to toe or vice versa. Examples of muscle groups to include are the face, neck, shoulders, chest, arms, abdomen, buttocks, legs, and feet.
- Complete The Practice: Once you have gone through all the major muscle groups, take a moment to enjoy the overall sense of relaxation in your body.
- Slowly Reawaken: When you’re ready, gradually bring your attention back to the present moment, gently stretching and moving your body.
You may want to repeat the entire process two or three times. When you are finished, take a few more deep breaths and open your eyes.
Tips To Get The Most Out Of PMR
- Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing.
- Lie down or sit in a comfortable position.
- Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
- Tense each muscle group for 15 seconds.
- Relax each muscle group for 20-30 seconds.
- Repeat the process for each muscle group in your body.
- Practice PMR for 10-20 minutes each day.
If you are new to the practice, allowing a trained instructor, either physically or virtually, might also be helpful to guide you through the steps. Once you make it a part of your daily routine, it might become more automatic and easier to follow.
Progressive muscle relaxation is a skill that can be developed with practice. It’s important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to unfold naturally. With time, you’ll become more proficient at recognizing and releasing tension throughout your body.
