Your Go-To Stress Relief Tool: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

We know that with the start of the second quarter of 2023, stress levels might be on the rise. Today, we wanted to share one of our favourite tools which we often share and practice with attendees of our stress-management retreats.

This tool is called Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR).

In this article, we will share what it is & how you can start practising it.

PMR is a form of therapy which was created by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the 1920s. Different studies show that this technique can be used to control stress and anxiety, and even relieve insomnia.

The benefits of this form of therapy is based on the premises that physical relaxation induces mental calmness. It requires you to work your way through different body parts by tensing up the muscles and then inviting relaxation.

How to Practice

As you tense each muscle group, make sure you can feel the tension but not to a point where it hurts.?You will keep the muscle tensed for about 5 seconds.?

After releasing, allow your muscles to relax for about 10 seconds. It may be helpful to say silently to yourself “relax” as you do this.

1. Tense the right hand and forearm. Make a fist with your right hand and hold tightly for 1-2-3-4- 5. Now relax.?
2. Now tense the right upper arm. Raise your forearm to make a right angle with your shoulder and hold for 1-2-3-4-5. Relax.?
3. Now tense the left hand and forearm for 1-2-3-4-5. Relax.?
4. Now the left upper arm. Hold for 1-2-3-4-5. Relax.?
5. Now the forehead. Raise your eyebrows as high as they can go, as though you are surprised by something. Hold here for 5. And relax.?
6. Eyes and cheeks now. Squeeze your eyes tight shut and tense your upper cheeks for the count of 5.Relax.?
7. Now the mouth and jaw. Open your mouth as wide as you can, as if you are yawning. Hold for 5, and then relax.?
8. Moving to the neck now. Take special care when tensing these muscles, as we tend to hold a lot of tension in the neck. Gently tilt your head back, as if you are looking at the ceiling. Hold here for 1-2-3- 4-5. Relax.?
9. Now the shoulders. Bring your shoulders up towards your ears and hold here for 5. And relax for 10.?
10. Moving to the shoulder blades and back now. Press your shoulder blades backward, as if you are trying to touch them together. Puff your chest out. Hold for 5 and relax for 10.?
11. Now the chest and belly. Take a deep breath in, filling up your lungs and chest with air. Hold for 1-2-3- 4-5 and relax.?
12. Hips and buttocks now. Squeeze your buttock muscles for 1-2-3-4-5. And relax.?

Try it out and share it with someone who would benefit.

Would you like to bring a series of stress-management tools into your workplace?

We have created a 5-session series 'A Journey to Uncover Stress' which allows attendees to be guided on a journey of understanding stress & how to manage it.

Book a discovery call with our team so we can together bring change to your teams: Let's Chat