Hello,
My name is Adam,
And I will guide you through a progressive muscle relaxation mindfulness meditation.
This is a technique in which you systematically tense particular muscle groups and then allow them to relax on the exhale.
It can lessen muscle tension,
Reduce stress and anxiety,
And many find it a good technique to use before going to bed,
Especially if you have difficulty falling asleep.
So begin by getting comfortable.
You may do this in a sitting or lying down position.
Rest your arms gently in your lap or by your side.
You can keep your eyes open or closed,
Whatever is most comfortable to you.
Now take three long,
Slow breaths.
Notice yourself becoming calm and still.
For each muscle group we target,
The goal is not to squeeze so hard that it causes pain,
But you may feel some shaking or trembling as you tense the muscle.
And then you'll relax it.
The importance of this exercise is to be aware of the release of tension and the relaxation of your muscles.
First,
Raise your eyebrows up as high as you can,
Scrunching the skin in your forehead and hold this position.
And then as you exhale,
Release the tension.
Next,
Shut your eyes as tightly as you can.
Hold them shut,
Then release and let them open as you exhale.
Now open your mouth as wide as you can.
Hold that open position and then release.
Next,
Bring your attention to your shoulders.
Raise your shoulders up to your ears,
Hold them tightly,
And then completely release as you exhale.
With both arms,
Bend your elbows,
Squeezing your biceps muscle tightly,
Hold,
And then relax and let your arms gently straighten.
Now straighten your arms as tightly as you can,
Engaging the muscle behind your upper arm called the tricep.
Hold,
And now relax.
Make tight fists in both of your hands,
Squeeze them as tightly as you can,
Hold,
And then as you exhale,
Relax and let your hands gently open.
Take a few deep breaths and notice the tension in your upper body,
Relax.
Tighten your stomach muscles.
Hold them as tight as you can,
And then relax on the exhale.
Next,
Squeeze your butt cheeks together as tightly as you can,
And as you exhale,
Let them relax.
Tighten your thigh muscle by straightening your leg at the knee.
Hold as tightly as you can,
And then release.
Imagine you're trying to hold a coin between your legs,
And now squeeze your legs together as tightly as you can,
And then release.
Pull your feet and ankles up to your nose,
Toes to the nose.
Hold in that upper posture,
And then relax as you breathe out.
Let the ankles relax.
Lastly,
Point your toes and feet down as if you were standing on your tiptoes,
Hold,
And then exhale as you let them relax.
Now take three more slow,
Deep breaths.
Notice how you feel.
Once you get comfortable with this technique,
You can do it from head to toe,
Or work up from your feet to your head.
You can even shorten it,
Such as doing the shoulders if you feel tension developing during the day.
With practice,
You might find that you can even relax a tight muscle group by simply having awareness as you exhale.
I hope you have found this exercise helpful.
Be healthy,
Be happy,
Be well.
