Welcome.
This guided meditation is called Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
And extensive research has shown that the practice can be very effective in a variety of ways.
These include reducing general anxiety and panic.
Dealing with the high stress of professional and academic demands.
Managing medical procedures and recovery,
As well as aiding with sleep disturbance linked to a busy mind or worry.
By sequentially tensing and releasing muscle groups.
You lower physical arousal.
Decreased levels of stress hormones,
And significantly reduce your symptoms of anxiety.
With regular practice,
This exercise can provide an immediate feeling of relaxation and can be helpful with falling and staying asleep.
The results increased when practiced often.
So let's begin.
Sit back or lie down in a comfortable position.
You can shut your eyes if you're comfortable or simply lower your gaze.
We'll start by placing attention on our breathing.
Begin by taking a slow breath.
Deep breath in.
And notice how the air fills your lungs and belly.
And now,
Exhale slowly.
When you slow the exhalation,
That lets the nervous system know that it's okay to settle.
Take another deep breath in.
Now holding for a second.
Before slowly exhaling.
And now one last slow deep breath in.
And holding for a few seconds.
And breathing out slowly,
Letting go of any tension in the body.
As we move into the practice,
Here's some simple guidance.
Throughout the meditation,
Take a deep inhale as you start to tense your muscles.
And then hold the tension and your breath for about five seconds before quickly relaxing your muscles as you exhale.
As you breathe out,
Try to imagine any worry or stress leaving your body with the breath.
Now we'll begin the sequential muscle relaxation.
Let's start by placing your attention on your feet.
Tense both feet by curling your toes in toward the arches of your feet.
Hold your breath and the tension.
And notice what it feels like in the body.
You want to feel a deep tension without pushing through the point of strain.
Now release the tension in your feet.
Just notice how that feels.
Now begin to focus your attention on your lower legs.
Tense the muscles in your calves by pointing or flexing your feet.
Hold them tightly.
And pay attention to that feeling of tension.
Now breathe out.
And release the tension from your lower leg.
Being aware of how it feels in your body.
Now a deep inhale as you begin to tense the muscles of your upper legs.
Squeezing your quads,
Hamstrings.
And your thigh muscles.
Hold your breath and that tension for about five seconds.
And then release slowly.
Notice what it's like to let go.
The experience doesn't have to be big or intense.
Even a subtle shift is valuable.
Now move your attention to the muscles of your abdomen and pelvic region.
Tighten them by clenching your buttocks as tightly as you can.
Pull your stomach muscles in and hold that tension in the pelvic area.
And now exhale slowly,
Releasing the tension.
Feeling those muscles soften and visualizing any stress flowing away from you.
Now move your attention to your chest and tighten those muscles.
You can pull your shoulders up and inward to feel a squeeze around the pectoral muscles.
Just holding.
Now release the tension as you exhale.
We're about halfway through the exercise,
So take a minute and really allow your body to soften and settle.
Continue taking slow,
Deep breaths.
If you notice any thoughts or that your mind has wandered off,
That's not a problem.
It's actually a mindful moment.
Just gently redirect your attention back to this practice.
Notice the air filling your lungs as if you are savoring the oxygen as it enters.
Release the breath slowly.
Imagining the stress leaving the body as you exhale.
Now bringing the attention to your shoulders.
Tense the muscles in your back by squeezing your shoulders together tightly.
Tensing them as hard as you can without straining.
Now releasing the tension from your back.
Noticing how different your body feels when you allow it to relax.
Now guide your attention to your hands.
Making two firm fists.
Lench your hands and hold them tight.
Hold the.
.
.
Hold it.
Now relax your hands,
Letting them open and soften.
Again,
Notice the feeling of relaxation in your fingers and your hands.
And now bring your attention to your arms.
Tighten the upper and lower arms,
Really feeling the constriction.
Hold them tight.
And now let go quickly.
Notice how your arms feel.
Sensing any softness or warmth.
Now move your awareness to your shoulders.
Bring your shoulders up to your ears and clench them tightly.
Hold that tension in your shoulders and really feel the pressure.
And now release quickly.
Tuning into the feeling of relaxation.
And now move your attention to your neck and your head.
Tense your face and your neck tightly together.
Squeeze your eyes shut.
Purse your lips and pull your chin down into your neck.
Again,
Leaning into the felt pressure.
Hold for a few seconds.
Now let go,
Softening your face and your neck.
Noticing any new feelings of calm and ease.
And now,
As we near the end of this meditation,
You're going to tense your entire body together at once.
So take a deep breath in.
Clench your feet,
Your legs.
Stomach,
Chest.
Arms,
Head.
Neck and shoulders.
Really deepen the tension and hold for a few seconds.
Now quickly release all of your muscles at once.
Allowing your whole body to go limp.
Observe the feeling of relaxation and how different it is from the feeling of tension.
You can let your breathing return to a soft and comfortable reach.
Allow yourself to stay in this place of peace and relaxation for as long as possible.
If you're ready to sleep.
Let yourself drift off quietly.
If you're ready to return to your day,
Take a minute to wake your body up slowly.
You might wiggle your hands and feet.
Letting yourself come back at a gentle pace.
Thank you for joining me for the practice of progressive muscle relaxation.
Take care.
And be well.
