Practice progressive muscle relaxation

To practice progressive muscle relaxation you deliberately tense a muscle group, hold briefly, then release and notice the difference. The tensing seems counterproductive and is the whole point: it creates a contrast that makes the relaxed state perceptible in a way that simply trying to relax does not.

Why practice progressive muscle relaxation is worth an hour

You cannot relax a muscle you cannot feel, and chronically tense muscles have usually stopped registering. Tensing deliberately restores the sensation, and the release afterwards is felt against that fresh reference point. Working systematically through the body also catches areas you would never have thought to check, which is where most held tension turns out to be.

How to practice progressive muscle relaxation step by step

1. 1

   Lie or sit comfortably

   Somewhere you will not be interrupted for fifteen minutes. Warm, supported and undisturbed.

2. 2

   Start at the feet and work up

   Feet, calves, thighs, abdomen, hands, arms, shoulders, face. A fixed order means nothing is skipped.

3. 3

   Tense for about five seconds

   Firmly but not to the point of cramp or pain. Five seconds is enough to establish the sensation.

4. 4

   Release suddenly, not gradually

   A complete letting go. The abruptness is what makes the contrast noticeable.

5. 5

   Pause and notice for ten seconds

   Before moving on. The noticing is the actual exercise; the tensing was only preparation for it.

Tips to get more out of it

• Skip any area that is injured or currently painful. Never tense through pain, and move on to the next group instead.
• The face and jaw hold considerably more tension than most people expect, and are usually the most striking part of the whole sequence.
• If you have a muscular or cardiovascular condition, check with a doctor before using this regularly.

Ways to mix it up

If fifteen minutes is too long, a short version covering hands, shoulders, jaw and feet takes four minutes and catches the main tension sites. If you want it for sleep, do it in bed and simply stop when you drift off rather than finishing the sequence.

Practice progressive muscle relaxation: frequently asked questions