Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Proven Way to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

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Tension and Relaxation
😰 Stress and anxiety manifest in various ways, depending on individual experiences and circumstances. While there are countless tools and techniques to manage these feelings, one method stands out to me for its effectiveness and quick results…

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.
Chinese Proverb

🤯 Mental Shift

Before beginning any practice aimed at reducing anxiety, it’s essential to approach it with the right mindset. Anxiety isn’t something to be cured or conquered. It’s not a battle to be won. Instead, lay down your weapons and surrender the fight – this is the foundation to inner peace.

Think of this like physical exercise. You can’t “beat” health. It isn’t bought or owned. You must pay rent for the privilege of having it.

With practice and patience, you can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms and their recurrence in situations that don’t warrant them.

There is hope for you ☮️

💪🏻 Practice

You will find more information on PMR below but if you are like me, you probably want to jump right in and try it out. I’ve embedded a YouTube video below of one of my favorite mental health experts, Emma McAdam, AKA Therapy in a Nutshell. This video was my introduction to PMR and one that I use often.

If YouTube videos aren’t your thing. I’ve included written instructions below.

👩🏻‍🏫 PMR Instructions

📃 General Process

You will be tensing and relaxing all of the muscle groups in your body, one at a time. Generally, you will begin at your lower extremities, working your way up to your face. Finally, you will tense all of your muscles before relaxing.

You will be timing the tension and relaxation with your breathing. Tensing on your inhales, holding your breath along with the tension for a few seconds, and releasing the tension as your exhale.

✍🏻 Preparation

Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing.
Find a comfortable place that is free of distractions.
Find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down.

☑️ General Steps

Take in a slow deep breath and hold it
Tense your muscles
Hold the breath and tension for ~5 seconds
Focus on how this tension feels in your body
Forcefully exhale all your breath while letting go of the tension
Focus on how this new feeling of relaxation contrasts to that of the tension
Allow yourself to enjoy this relaxation for ~10 seconds while breathing normally
Repeat the steps above until you have done every muscle in your body

🧬 Sequence

Feet – Curl your toes downward
Calves – Point your toes upward towards your knees
Thighs – Squeeze your thighs together
Buttocks – Clench
Stomach – Curl yourself into a crunch
Chest – Cross your arms to flex your pectorals
Hands – Clench your fists
Forearms – Curl your wrists
Biceps – Curl your arms
Shoulders – Shrug towards your ears
Neck – Push your head back into your head rest
Face – Scrunch your face
Whole Body – Tense every muscle in your body
Progressive Muscle Relaxation

🕰️ History

Invented by Edmund Jacobson: PMR was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. He introduced it as a way to reduce anxiety and stress, based on his research suggesting that physical tension was linked to emotional stress.

Early research: Jacobson’s initial work focused on the relationship between muscle tension and emotional states. He found that by intentionally tensing and then relaxing muscles, individuals could achieve a deeper sense of relaxation and manage stress more effectively.

Published work: Jacobson’s 1938 book, Progressive Relaxation, outlined the technique and its applications, laying the groundwork for its widespread use in both medical and psychological fields.

⚕️ Treatments

PMR is widely used to address both physical and psychological health concerns. Some of the conditions it treats or helps alleviate include:

  • Anxiety and stress: PMR helps reduce the physiological symptoms of stress, such as muscle tension and increased heart rate, making it useful in managing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), stress-related conditions, and panic attacks.
  • Insomnia and sleep disorders: By calming the mind and relaxing the body, PMR can promote better sleep, especially for those with stress or anxiety-related insomnia.
  • Chronic pain: Conditions like fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other chronic pain syndromes can benefit from PMR as it helps reduce muscle tension and increases relaxation, potentially easing pain.
  • High blood pressure (hypertension): Reducing stress through PMR may help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, although it should be used alongside medical treatment.
  • Headaches and migraines: PMR may reduce the frequency and intensity of tension headaches and migraines by relieving physical tension in the neck, shoulders, and face.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PMR is sometimes used in trauma recovery to reduce the physical symptoms of arousal and help patients regain a sense of control.

🤔 Considerations

Training: While PMR can be done independently after a few sessions, it’s helpful to initially work with a therapist or practitioner who can guide the process.

Regular practice: Like any relaxation technique, regular practice of PMR enhances its benefits. It can be practiced daily for 10-20 minutes to help with stress management or relaxation.

🔬 Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided Imagery in Promoting Psychological and Physiological States of Relaxation

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