Deepening Your Relaxation with Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Are you feeling like your relaxation practice could do with a bit of a boost? If you’re looking for a way to deepen your relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) may be just the thing.

PMR is an evidence-based and simple relaxation technique that helps you reduce physical and mental tension. It can be used to reduce stress and anxiety as well as improve your overall wellbeing.

What is Progressive Muscle Relaxation?

PMR is a practice of cycling through different muscle group and deliberately relaxing and tensing them. By consciously tensing and relaxing all the big muscle groups in your body, you can access and reduce tension.

This simple process of cycling through muscle groups, one by one, will allow you to become more aware of areas in your body that are tight or tense and then create more controlled relaxation.

Benefits of Progressive Muscle Relaxation

The benefits of practicing PMR is that it can help you to access and reduce tension in your body.

This will help you to not only relax but also to access deeper levels of relaxation than you may be used to.

Additionally, regular practice of PMR can help to decrease stress and anxiety, promote better sleep, reduce muscular tension and improve your overall wellbeing.

How to Practice PMR

Practicing PMR is incredibly straightforward and can be done anywhere you’d like.

To practice PMR simply start by finding a comfortable seated or lying down position. Then begin by taking a few deep breaths and slowly letting all the tension and stress fall away.

Once you are relaxed, start by tensing your toes or feet by tightly contracting them. Hold that tension for a few seconds, then release and feel the tension instantly melting away.

Continue this practice, moving up through all the different muscle groups in your body like your calves, thighs, pelvis, back and stomach. Take your time and be aware of the release of tension as you work through each muscle group.

Tips for Effective PMR

The key to effectively practice PMR is to keep focus and remain present.

Whenever your mind starts to wander, bring it back to your body and the sensation of the tension and relaxation of muscle groups. With regular practice, you'll be able to move very quickly through the PMR sequence and the result will be deeper and more complete relaxation.

Conclusion

PMR is a simple and effective way to deepen your relaxation. With progressive muscle relaxation, you can access and reduce tension, decrease stress and anxiety and improve your overall wellbeing. Give PMR a try and see how it can benefit your practice and deepen your relaxation.