Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that relaxes both your mind and your body by progressively tensing and relaxing different muscle groups throughout your body.
You will tense each muscle for about 5 seconds after which you will focus on tension release and breathing.
If you experience any discomfort or pain you may skip that particular muscle group and focus on your breathing until I guide you to move on to another muscle.
Begin by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down in a quiet space where you won't be disturbed for the duration of the exercise.
Take a deep breath through your abdomen,
Hold for a few seconds and now exhale slowly.
Once again,
Inhale and hold.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and now slowly exhale.
Let's start from your face.
Tighten your forehead by raising your eyebrows as high as you possibly can and hold until I tell you to stop.
Relax your forehead and focus on your breathing.
Don't control the breath,
Just follow it.
If you get distracted,
Gently return to the breath.
Now smile as widely as you possibly can and hold until I count to 5.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Now relax.
Focus on your breathing again.
Let's continue by squinting your eyes.
Keep your eyelids shut tightly.
Hold until I tell you to release.
Release and relax your eyes.
Now pay attention to your entire face and any sensations you may notice there.
Excellent.
Let's move on to your neck.
Gently pull your head back as if you were trying to look at the ceiling and stay in that position for a while.
Now relax and bring your neck into its previous position and direct your attention towards the breath,
Observing the naturally changing rhythm of breathing.
Let's move on to your arms.
Clench both of your fists tightly and hold until I say stop.
Stop now and as you let go,
Focus on the tension leaving your hands.
Now flex your biceps,
Feel that buildup of tension as you're flexing and hold until I tell you to stop.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and relax.
Focus your awareness on both your arms and feel how much heavier they are now.
Now extend your arms forward and lock your elbows tightly.
Hold your arms like that,
Maintaining the pressure.
A little longer and let go,
Allowing your arms to relax beside you.
Lift your shoulders towards your ears,
Keep them shrugged like that until I tell you to stop.
Maintain the tension and use as much strength as you can.
And relax.
Pull your shoulders back as much as you can now without of course straining yourself too much.
Keep your shoulders pulled back until I count to five and then let go.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and relax.
Now gently direct your attention towards the breath and follow it.
Take a deep breath in,
Inhale by expanding your chest as much as you can right now and hold until I tell you to stop.
Good.
Now exhale,
Allowing your body to return to its normal breathing rhythm.
Now tighten the muscles in your stomach by sucking in and keeping them that way.
4,
5 and release.
Now gently arch your lower back until I count to five.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release.
Now focus on your entire upper body.
Feel the heaviness,
Feel all the sensations,
Feel the tension leaving your body.
The more relaxed you become,
The heavier your body feels.
Now tighten your buttocks.
Hold for about five seconds.
Now release and imagine your hips falling loose.
Press your knees together and keep your thighs tight.
Press your knees against each other as strongly as you can.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and relax.
Now focus on your thighs and feeling the tension leaving these strong muscles and leaving them heavy and relaxed.
Now flex your feet,
Pulling your toes towards you and feeling the tension in your calves.
Hold tightly.
And relax,
Feeling the weight of your legs sinking down as you slowly release.
Curl your toes.
Keep them curled like that as strongly as you can and hold until I tell you to stop.
Release now.
Good.
Let's do a quick check.
Focus on your forehead and just see what you can notice in that part of your body.
Now move your focus to your chest,
Your pelvis,
Your feet.
Try holding your whole body in your awareness at once.
Whenever you're ready,
You may open your eyes.
