Progressive muscular relaxation technique is a very effective for stress management method.
Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR) is useful for relaxing your body when your muscles are tense. Deep muscle relaxation reduces the muscle tension as well as general mental anxiety. This technique is effective for stress-related health problems. People often get sound sleep during or after practicing this relaxation technique.
Object:To tense and relax each muscle group.
Clothing: loose clothing.
Place & Position: a quite place where you can lie down on your back and stretch out comfortably. You can use a carpeted floor or a mat on the floor.
The Technique
- Tense up a group of muscles so that they are as tightly contracted as possible (hard but not to the point of cramping) for 5 to 10 seconds. Be sure you continue to breathe. Then release for 10 to 20 seconds and relax, i.e. exhale slowly. Relax (exhale) the muscles further for a few seconds so that you are as relaxed as possible. You should feel deep relaxation in your muscles.
- Repeat with other muscle groups.
How to Tense Muscle Groups
You can start with the muscles on your feet and gradually go to your face muscles.
Lower Legs: Point your toes towards your face, away and curl them downwards.
Upper Legs: Point your feet up, down, left and right.
Thighs: Clench them.
Hips and buttocks: Press the buttocks to gather tightly.
Stomach: Suck the stomach into a tight knot.
Chest: Take deep breath, hold and then exhale.
Shoulders: Shrug them.
Hands: Clench them.
Wrists and forearms: Bend hands back at the wrist.
Wrists and upper arms: Clench hands into fists, bend your arms at the elbows.
Beck: Arch back up form the floor.
Beck of the neck: Press head back.
Front of the neck: Touch chin to chest.
Cheeks and Jaws: Grin from ear to ear.
Around the eyes and nose: Close your eyes as tightly as possible.
Around the mouth: Press lips together tightly.
Forehead: Wrinkle it.
Note: For maximum relaxation you can use PMR technique with breathing techniques and/or imagery. You can do it by breathing in deeply while stressing the muscle group and exhaling while releasing the muscles.