By Maia Shields, MSW – Next in our series on stress management and mindfulness, I will talk about progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and how you can incorporate it into your life. First, what is progressive muscle relaxation? How is it beneficial? WebMD describes PMR as, “a deep relaxation technique that has been effectively used to control stress and anxiety, relieve insomnia, and reduce symptoms of certain types of chronic pain.” PMR works to relieve people of these conditions by relaxing the body; when the body is relaxed, the mind can be relaxed too.

Learning and practicing PMR is accessible for anyone. It does not require specialized training and can be done anytime. In her article on practicing progressive muscle relaxation, Arlin Cuncic recommends checking with your doctor if you suffer from any medical conditions before attempting any time of relaxation techniques. When you decide to practice PMR, try to find a quiet and safe space. Find a position that feels comfortable for you and spend a few minutes deep breathing before you begin. If you need recommendations on breathing practices, you can refer back to my first post in our mindfulness series, Fighting Stress with Intentional Breathing. You can start with either your head or feet, but I prefer working with my feet and moving my way up the body. You should be ready to begin now and you may close your eyes if you feel comfortable.

  1. Feel your feet on the ground (it is best if you are barefoot or in socks). Press them into the ground. Gradually start tensing your feet. Increasing and squeezing the tension as much as you can. Slowly start to release that tension. As you release the tension in your feet, notice the feeling of relaxation in your feet. Continue to breathe deeply.
  2. We are going to focus on our lower leg now. Gradually tightening and squeezing our calves. Holding it for a few seconds when we can no longer squeeze anymore. Slowly release this tension, notice the feeling of relaxation return to your lower legs. Continue to breathe deeply.
  3. We are now going to focus on our upper legs and pelvis. Slowly squeeze and increase the tension in your upper legs by pushing them together. Squeeze as much as you can and hold it for a few seconds. Gradually release the tension, continuing to breathe. Pay attention to the sensation of relaxation that is in your legs.
  4. We are now going to focus on our buttocks. Slowly bring tension to your buttocks for several seconds. Gradually release this tension over several seconds, noticing the feeling of relaxation. Continue to breathe.
  5. We have reached our center. Slowly increase tension in your abdomen. Hold for several seconds. Gradually release this tension and notice the feeling of relaxation. Continue to breathe.
  6. Now, focus on your arms and hands. Creating fists with your hands and draw your lower arm into your upper arm, holding this position for several seconds. Gradually release the tension over several seconds. Notice the feeling of relaxation and continue to breathe deeply.
  7. Finally, we will tense our facial muscles. Clenching our jaw for several seconds and then gradually releasing that tension. Move on to squeezing the muscles in your forehead and holding them for several seconds. Gradually release your forehead and notice the feeling of relaxation return to your face. Continue to breathe deeply.
  8. Notice the complete feeling of overall relaxation in your body.

You may find that it would help you to have a voice guiding you through this process. BYU’s Counseling and Psychological Services has a series of relaxation recordings. Several recordings are accessible to the public. Additionally, Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan published a list of muscle groups and how to tense them during PMR.