I'd like to take you through a guided progressive muscle relaxation exercise.
Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that reduces stress and anxiety in the body by having you slowly tense and then relax each muscle.
This exercise can provide an immediate feeling of relaxation.
But it's best to practice frequently.
With experience you'll become more aware of when you are experiencing tension in the body and you will have the skills to help you relax.
During this exercise each muscle should be tensed but not to the point of strain.
If you have any injuries or pain you can skip the affected areas.
Pay special attention to the feeling of releasing tension in each muscle and the resulting feeling of relaxation.
Let's begin.
Find yourself in a comfortable seated position or maybe even lying down.
If it feels safe and comfortable you can close the eyes or soften the gaze.
Begin by taking a few deep breaths.
Notice the feeling of air filling your lungs.
Hold the breath for a moment and then exhale slowly.
Again breathe in,
Hold,
Then gently release.
One more full breath in,
Hold,
And release.
Now a little bit slower,
Take a breath in,
Fill the lungs,
Hold,
Gently release.
Take another breath in,
Hold,
Exhale,
And visualize tension leaving the body.
Now bring your awareness to your feet.
Begin to tense your feet by curling your toes and the arch of the foot.
Hold on to the tension and notice what it feels like.
Now gently release the tension in your feet and notice the new feeling of relaxation.
Next bring your focus on your lower legs.
Tense the muscles in your calves,
Hold them tightly,
Pay attention to the sensations of tension,
And gently release the tension from your lower legs.
Again,
Notice the feeling of relaxation and remember to connect to the breath.
Now tense the muscles in your upper legs and pelvis.
You can do this by tightly squeezing your thighs together.
Make sure you feel tenseness without going to the point of strain.
Hold,
Gently release and feel the tension leave your muscles.
Now begin to tense your stomach and chest.
You can do this by sucking your stomach in,
Squeeze a tad harder,
And hold the tension just a moment longer.
Gently release,
Allow the body to go limp,
And let yourself notice the feeling of relaxation.
Continue to connect to the breath.
Breathe in slowly,
Noticing the air fill your lungs and hold it at the top.
Gently release the air and feel it leaving your lungs.
Next,
Tense the muscles in your back by bringing your shoulders together behind you.
Hold them tightly.
Tense them as hard as you can without straining.
Keep holding.
Gently release.
Feel the tension slowly leave the body and the new relaxation felt.
Notice how different your body feels when you allow it to relax.
Now tense your arms all the way from your hands to your shoulders.
Take a fist and squeeze all the way up your arm.
Hold it and gently release.
Again,
Connect to the feeling of relaxation felt in your fingers,
Hands,
Arms,
And shoulders.
Notice how the arms feel limp and at ease.
Now move up to the neck and head.
Tense your face and your neck by distorting the muscles around the eyes and the mouth.
Hold,
Then gently release.
Again,
Tap into the new feeling of relaxation.
Lastly,
Tense the entire body.
Tense your feet,
Legs,
Stomach,
Chest,
Arms,
Head,
And neck.
Tense harder but without strain.
Hold.
Now gently release.
Allow the entire body to go limp.
Pay attention to the feeling of relaxation and notice how different it is from the feeling of tension.
Slowly begin to wake the body.
Begin to take subtle movements that feel natural to you.
Slowly move the muscles.
Adjust your arms and legs.
Stretch your muscles and open your eyes when ready.
You can practice progressive muscle relaxation daily to get optimal results on reducing anxiety in the body.
Thank you for listening.
