We talk about stress, and anxiety which are causing whole lot of troubles in day to day life. But when it comes to relaxation, there are few relaxation techniques which scientifically help individuals. So here is one such relaxation technique known as progressive muscular relaxation technique.
What is progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a technique where a person tenses and relaxes different muscles in their body to relieve tension and induce a relaxation response.
The relaxation response is a physiological state that slows down fast breathing, reduces blood pressure, and lowers heart rate. It is the opposite of the stress response.
PMR is a relaxation technique that involves tensing and relaxing specific muscles in turn. Usually, a person begins with the feet and works their way up the body, taking deep, and slow breaths throughout the exercise.
By focusing on tensing and relaxing muscles individually, a person becomes focused on the present moment. If their attention wanders, they can refocus again on how their body feels as they work their way through the exercise. This encourages mindfulness. Another name for the exercise is a “body scan” meditation.
The goal of PMR is to bring about a relaxation response. The relaxation response causes the body to transition from an alert, active state into a more restful one.
People can induce the relaxation response to relieve stress or anxiety, which helps them get to sleep, or ease tense muscles.
How to do it?
Find a peaceful and quiet place to do the exercise. Sit in a chair or lie down on the floor or a bed. If it feels comfortable, close the eyes.
Keeping the mouth closed, inhale deeply and slowly through the nose. Exhale slowly through the mouth and imagine tension leaving the body.
Repeat these deep breaths three or four more times. If it causes dizziness, breathe normally instead.
On the fifth inhale, squeeze the muscles in the toes and feet and count to four. Then exhale slowly through the mouth, gradually releasing tension from the feet.
Repeat step four, this time for the calf muscles. Tense the calf muscles while breathing in, then release when breathing out.
Continue to repeat a pattern of tensing muscles while inhaling and then relaxing them while exhaling for muscles all the way up the body. This includes the:
*knees
*thighs
*buttocks
*abdomen
*hands, by making fists
arms
*shoulders, by shrugging them toward the ears
*jaw, by clenching the teeth and releasing
*face, by scrunching the facial muscles and releasing
After releasing tension from a body part, take a few deep breaths before moving onto the next part. Think about breathing out tension with each exhale.
At the end of the exercise, be still for a while and notice how it feels. If a person needs to get up, they can slowly open their eyes and gently move out of their position.
Benefits of PMR
The main benefit of PMR is that it reduces mental and physical stress.
When someone feels stressed, it can trigger the body’s stress response. This elevates breathing, heart rate, and the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. In the short term, these changes are not harmful and can help someone if they are in a dangerous or threatening situation.
But long-term exposure to stress has a range of health effects. It can
*cause muscle tension in the neck and shoulders
*contribute to headache or migraine
*worsen the symptoms of chronic conditions, such as chronic pain, asthma, and digestive disorders
*contribute to a low sex drive or fertility problems
*raise the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke
*Regularly making time for relaxation or the use of relaxation techniques can reduce the impact of stress.