Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Coauthored by Emmet V. Reeb III, Anna Cowell, and Kerianne Hendrickson
I took a class my senior year of college, taught by Glenn R. Schiraldi, Ph.D. called 'Managing Stress and Tension.' I hated the class at the time. I didn't think I needed to go to a class three times a week to hear that exercise is good and stress is bad. I gave the class a shot, though, and it turned out to be quite informative.
The class encouraged students to approach per-sonal health in fun and interesting ways. One technique I learned, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), focuses on relieving tension in one's body. I learned that when people are regularly tense, their muscles get used to it and stay tense. As a result, these people feel more stressed, are easily fatigued, and/or become susceptible to illness. To address this, PMR purposely has one tense his/her muscles, then relax them. This technique encour-ages individuals to pay attention to the difference in how their muscles feel when they are relaxed.
According to Dr. Schiraldi's book, "The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A Guide to Healing Recovery and Growth", the first step is to sit or lie down in a quiet, comfortable place. Next, close your eyes (if that bothers you, keep your eyes open) and pay attention to your breathing for a minute or so. After you have reached this first stage of relaxation, point both your feet forward at the same time for a few seconds. You should feel the tension at the top of your feet and your shins, but it shouldn't hurt or cramp your muscles. Next, relax your feet and pay attention to the feeling of relaxation/lack of tension in your feet and shins.
After your feet and shins, you want to focus next on your calves by pointing your toes back to your head; follow the same procedure of tensing for a few seconds then relaxing. In this way, you want to move up your body; concentrating on each individual muscle. Remember to pay attention to the relaxation in the muscles. (Personally, after I finish an area of my body, it helps me to imagine that that part of my body is sinking into the floor. It is just a way for me to feel more relaxed.)
Straighten your legs and lock your knees to relax your quadriceps.
Imagine you are pressing your heels into the sand and tense the entire backs of your legs and relax.
Squeeze your knees together and relax.
Squeeze your buttocks while contracting your pelvis muscles and relax.
Squeeze your stomach (imagine your stomach is a ball and squeeze it into a tiny ball) and relax. Arch your back leaving your shoulders and butt on the floor and relax.
Tense the lower back by pressing it onto the floor and relax.
Press your shoulders down while pressing your arms against the side of your body and relax.
Shrug your shoulders and relax.
Press your palms into the floor and relax.
Make fists, tighten them and release.
Turn your head to each side and relax.
Press the back of your head to the floor and raise your chin and relax.
Lift your eyebrows and furrow your brow and relax.
Wrinkle your nose and squeeze your eyes shut and relax.
Frown pulling the corners of your mouth down as far as you can and relax.
Clench, then unclench your jaw.
Make a wide smile and tense...AND RELAX.
Remember, it is very important to focus on the feeling of your entire body being relaxed. When you are ready, slowly start to move your arms and legs and get up or just take a nap.
Dr. Schiraldi recommends that you do PMR twice a day every day to help with overall tension. I tend to only do PMR when I am aware of feeling stressed, usually before bed. I find it to be very effec-tive, though. Give it a shot.
The class encouraged students to approach per-sonal health in fun and interesting ways. One technique I learned, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), focuses on relieving tension in one's body. I learned that when people are regularly tense, their muscles get used to it and stay tense. As a result, these people feel more stressed, are easily fatigued, and/or become susceptible to illness. To address this, PMR purposely has one tense his/her muscles, then relax them. This technique encour-ages individuals to pay attention to the difference in how their muscles feel when they are relaxed.
According to Dr. Schiraldi's book, "The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook: A Guide to Healing Recovery and Growth", the first step is to sit or lie down in a quiet, comfortable place. Next, close your eyes (if that bothers you, keep your eyes open) and pay attention to your breathing for a minute or so. After you have reached this first stage of relaxation, point both your feet forward at the same time for a few seconds. You should feel the tension at the top of your feet and your shins, but it shouldn't hurt or cramp your muscles. Next, relax your feet and pay attention to the feeling of relaxation/lack of tension in your feet and shins.
After your feet and shins, you want to focus next on your calves by pointing your toes back to your head; follow the same procedure of tensing for a few seconds then relaxing. In this way, you want to move up your body; concentrating on each individual muscle. Remember to pay attention to the relaxation in the muscles. (Personally, after I finish an area of my body, it helps me to imagine that that part of my body is sinking into the floor. It is just a way for me to feel more relaxed.)
Straighten your legs and lock your knees to relax your quadriceps.
Imagine you are pressing your heels into the sand and tense the entire backs of your legs and relax.
Squeeze your knees together and relax.
Squeeze your buttocks while contracting your pelvis muscles and relax.
Squeeze your stomach (imagine your stomach is a ball and squeeze it into a tiny ball) and relax. Arch your back leaving your shoulders and butt on the floor and relax.
Tense the lower back by pressing it onto the floor and relax.
Press your shoulders down while pressing your arms against the side of your body and relax.
Shrug your shoulders and relax.
Press your palms into the floor and relax.
Make fists, tighten them and release.
Turn your head to each side and relax.
Press the back of your head to the floor and raise your chin and relax.
Lift your eyebrows and furrow your brow and relax.
Wrinkle your nose and squeeze your eyes shut and relax.
Frown pulling the corners of your mouth down as far as you can and relax.
Clench, then unclench your jaw.
Make a wide smile and tense...AND RELAX.
Remember, it is very important to focus on the feeling of your entire body being relaxed. When you are ready, slowly start to move your arms and legs and get up or just take a nap.
Dr. Schiraldi recommends that you do PMR twice a day every day to help with overall tension. I tend to only do PMR when I am aware of feeling stressed, usually before bed. I find it to be very effec-tive, though. Give it a shot.