Curious about a full body relaxation technique that’ll minimize your stress and help you sleep better? Check out my guide to progressive muscle relaxation.
So, if you’re searching for a full-body relaxation technique to help you let go of stress or minimize anxiety and tension with a technique that can also help you fall asleep faster, keep reading! I’m sharing all the details of my routine with Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
What is Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR for short)?
If you aren’t familiar with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), it’s a whole-body practice that focuses on each part of the body individually. The idea is to work though the muscle groups of your body, one at a time, and methodically tense then relax the area.
You start by tightly tensing specific muscles followed by a relaxation phase. As you relax, you consciously focus on the release of tension and stress in the muscles.
What’s the science behind progressive muscle relaxation?
This deep muscle relaxation technique is also referred to as Jacobson’s relaxation technique. Both are aimed at increasing awareness of tension, and can help you identify physical effects or sensations of stress.
Studies using PRM show that regular practice can reduce stress and minimize health issues such as anxiety and insomnia. Your baseline heart rate is reduced and circulating levels of the stress hormone Cortisol are also decreased.
It has also been shown to lower the frequency of panic attacks. The idea is that by physically relaxing your body and focusing on tension releasing sensations, you do not feel anxious. It is a way to redirect or stop anxious thoughts in their tracks.
What results can I expect when I use progressive muscle relaxation?
I touched on a few of these results above, but there are so many. Benefits include lower blood pressure, decreased muscle tension (which reduces the body’s need for oxygen), reduced fatigue, and development of a feeling of well-being.
Once you implement PMR techniques, you free your body from trying to operate in ‘crisis mode’. It can help prime your body for rest and relaxation, helping you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
It’s also an excellent tool to help learn about your body and the signals it may be trying to tell you. With practice, you can learn to identify and diminish the stress signals and tension in your body.
I personally noticed a decrease in my anxiety levels, as well as decreased frequency of panic attacks and the chest tightness/can’t breathe situation.
I fall asleep at night, instead of tossing and turning like I used to. I’m better able to handle day-to-day challenges and unanticipated stress.
When should I do progressive muscle relaxation?
To fully benefit from PMR, it’s best to make it part of your daily routine. Set aside time each day (about 10-20 minutes) and consistently do these exercises until it becomes a habit.
Consider it as a way to treat yourself to a ‘routine of relaxation’. Anyone can do it. PMR doesn’t take much time, and it can be done almost anywhere (but please don’t try this while you are driving)!
How often do I need to do this before I see results?
You’ll need to do it on a consistent basis (at least 3-5 days a week) before you will start to feel the benefits.
I recommend doing this practice every day, at least once. Feel free to do it more frequently if you feel stress and tension manifesting in your body, mind, or muscles.
In the beginning, I found it easiest to implement this every night before bed. It takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes. The timing really depends on how long you allow for the contraction/relaxation phase.
You can do it sitting or lying down, just be sure you are in a comfortable position with minimal distractions. I recommend lying on the bed, with your head comfortably supported.
Once you get familiar with the process, you can do a quick PMR mini session for a tense muscle group when you’re at the grocery store checkout or waiting for someone at a cafe/restaurant etc. Try clenching your hands and releasing them or trying to curl your toes in your shoes, and then releasing.
I found the better in-tune I got with my body, from practicing PMR, the more quickly I was able to notice any tension mounting.
I could focus on that muscle group, and do a quick cycle of tense and release. This helped minimize the amount of knots I had in my shoulders. I also noticed I had fewer migraines too.
Do you have to progressive muscle relaxation in the same order?
No, but you’ll get the most benefit if you do it methodically. You want to ensure you ‘focus’ on all the areas of the body, so following a guide will ensure you don’t miss an area.
Sometimes I like to switch things up and start at the bottom of my checklist and work up to the top.
It took a little trial and error to create a routine that worked for me, and hit all the important muscle groups, but now I have a full-body practice that I do before bed each night.
I am unwinding a bit easier, falling asleep more quickly, and sleeping more soundly. It’s been a game changer. If you haven’t tried progressive muscle relaxation, it’s definitely time!
Get started today! Grab the exact routine I use every day.
And if you want a little more background about how (and why) I started using Progressive Muscle Relaxation, you can read more about that below.
What led me to PMR:
Several years ago, I found myself dealing with some major work challenges and unexpected life changes. I was having major knots in my shoulders and neck, constant aches and awful migraines.
I know my body well enough to realize that anxiety and stress manifest as muscle tension and knots, especially in my shoulders. As my stress ramped up, and weeks kept passing, I found my old stress reducing tricks simply weren’t working.
I tried everything from changing my nightly routine, to taking wellness and sleep enhancing supplements, and spent even more time meditating.
I bought new bath bombs in the name of self care and eventually tried prescription medication. I was treating myself to semi-regular massages but nothing seemed to help the constant neck pain, and the knots in my shoulders weren’t going away. My migraines and tension headaches were still there.
I was at my wits end when I found progressive muscle relaxation. I’d never heard of it, but after a little research and some quick tutorials, I began implementing it.
To my surprise, PMR helped relieve the muscle tension and relax my knots. It’s super simple to do and doesn’t require any equipment.
Snag the guide I use each night right here. And be sure to let me know how it’s helping you. And if you are looking for other ways to help reduce stress and tension that are perfect for the daytime, check out this post.
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