This is a progressive muscle relaxation to help you relax,
Release tension,
And prepare for sleep.
Start by bringing your awareness to your body.
No need to change anything right now.
Just notice how your body feels.
And notice any areas that might be holding tension.
We're going to move through the body,
Tensing and relaxing one area at a time.
Let's start by scrunching up your facial muscles.
The muscles around your eyes,
Your forehead,
Your cheeks,
The muscles around your mouth.
Just tighten everything up and hold it there tight,
Tight,
Tight.
And on your next exhale,
Let everything soften.
Noticing the sensations as you release the muscles of your face.
Now let's move to your neck and shoulders.
Draw your shoulders up towards your ears and tighten all the muscles in your neck and shoulders.
Hold and squeeze.
And on your next exhale,
Let everything release.
And notice the sensations as you relax the muscles of your neck and shoulders.
Now bring tension into your upper arms,
Bending your elbows,
Squeezing your forearms and your fists,
Feeling all that tension as you tighten those muscles.
And hold it,
Squeeze those muscles tight.
And on your next exhale,
Let that all go.
And noticing the sensations in your arms and hands as you relax those muscles.
Now tighten up your chest,
Bringing your shoulders and arms in front of you and squeezing your chest,
Holding the muscles of your chest tight.
And on your next exhale,
Let that go and soften the muscles of your chest.
And notice the sensations as the muscles in your chest release.
Now moving to the muscles of your back,
Draw your shoulder blades together and feel the muscles in your upper back engage,
Holding tightly the muscles in your back and squeeze those muscles.
And on your next exhale,
Release,
Let that go.
Noticing the sensations in the muscles of your back as you release.
Moving down to your abdomen,
Tightening up your belly and holding your abdominals muscles tight,
Squeezing the muscles of your abdomen.
And on your next exhale,
Let it go.
Noticing how your belly feels when you release those muscles,
Noticing any tension leaving your body,
Bringing your attention to your pelvis and hips.
Tighten up the muscles of your buttocks,
Noticing them engage and holding those muscles tight,
Squeezing those muscles as tightly as you can.
And on your next exhale,
Let go and imagine your pelvis softening into the surface beneath you.
Noticing any feelings of relaxation in your glutes and pelvis.
Now moving to the muscles of your thighs,
Squeezing those muscles in your upper legs,
Pressing your legs together and squeezing your thighs,
Holding that tension.
And on your next exhale,
Release,
Letting the muscles of your thighs feel heavy and relaxed.
Now tensing the muscles of your lower legs and calves,
Flexing at the ankles and tightening those muscles,
Holding that tension in your calves.
And on your next exhale,
Release,
Let go,
And feel the relaxation as your calves release.
Moving to your feet,
Point your toes and squeeze the muscles in your feet,
Holding tension in your feet and squeezing those muscles.
And on your next exhale,
Let that tension go,
Feeling the sensations in your feet.
And now tighten the muscles of your entire body,
Squeezing the muscles of your face,
Your neck and shoulders,
Your chest and back,
Your arms,
Your hands,
Your abdomen,
Your glutes,
Your legs and thighs,
Your calves,
Your feet.
Keep squeezing just for one more moment.
And on your next exhale,
Let that go,
And visualize any remaining tension leaving your body and disappearing into the earth beneath you.
Let's end by taking three deep breaths and with each exhale,
Visualize any remaining tension disappearing into the earth.
Inhaling and exhaling.
Watch that tension leaving your body.
Another breath in,
And exhaling.
One more inhale,
And let any remaining tension disappear into the earth as you prepare for sleep.
