Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Tense, hold, release. Muscle by muscle, until the whole body has let go. This guided progressive muscle relaxation works through the body from top to bottom, with bilateral stimulation, gentle sound moving slowly from ear to ear in the rhythm used in EMDR therapy, supporting each release. It is one of the most reliable ways to bring the body down from stress, and it works just as well in the middle of the day as it does before sleep. Please use headphones, as the left and right movement is lost without them.
If any area is painful or injured, skip the tensing there and simply breathe. This practice is for relaxation and is not a substitute for professional help. Part of Soft Cadence, a series of EMDR-informed meditations for sleep, anxiety, breathing, focus, and emotional balance. Created by Begüm Engür, Clinical Psychologist & European Accredited EMDR Therapist.

Transcript

Welcome to the progressive muscle relaxation. A big warm welcome by me. I'm so glad you're here. Throughout this exercise, We'll be asked to tense your muscles and then release. This letting go motion will help relax the muscles of your body. Muscle relaxation leads to mental calmness. So this exercise will not only relax your body, But will also help quiet your mind. If there are any areas in your body that are prone to pain and injury. You can apply less tension or you can leave this area out altogether. During this relaxation exercise, You may find your mind wandering into thoughts or worries and this is normal. You When this happens, Try to release these thoughts and relax back to the sound of my voice. So just try to relax and follow the instructions. Throughout this practice, Pay attention to the sound in the background. And notice how you're feeling. Now, Let's begin. Settle into a comfortable position. When you're ready, You may close your eyes. Now through your nose, Take a slow, Deep breath. Hold it for a moment. And slowly exhale. Notice that a feeling of relaxation. Take another slow deep breath in. And slowly exhale. With every breath. Allow yourself to relax. Now tense your forehead by raising your eyebrows as high as you can. Notice your forehead feels tense. Now relax your forehead. Now for your eyes and nose. Close your eyes very tightly and wrinkle your nose. And now relax. Notice the discomfort fade away. And now put your mouth into a forced smile and clench your feet very tightly. Your lips, Cheeks and jaws should feel very tense. And now relax those muscles. Relax your face and notice the feeling. And now relax your face a little bit more. Breathe in deeply. Hold. And breathe out. Now tense the muscle of neck and shoulders by shrugging your shoulders. Try to touch your ears with your shoulders. And feel the tension. And now let that go. While feeling your relaxation. Now moving onto your arms. Please put your palm of your hands together. And push them together. Feel the tension in your arms and shoulders. Hold this position. And now let that go. Let all the tension flow out of your forearms, Out of your hands. Relax your hands, Arms. Relax your shoulders. Now focus on your breathing and your abdominal muscles. Take a deep breath through your nose. Hold it. And breathe out. Feel the sense of relief in your chest. Again, Breathe deeply through your nose. Hold it. Notice the feeling. And let it out. Now moving down your body. Arch Your Back. As though you have a pillow under the middle and lower part of your back. Draw your shoulder blades together. Now hold this position. And let go. Let the relaxation spread and flow deeply into the muscles. And now for your abdomen. Tighten your abdomen by dropping your belly button backwards towards your spine and hold this position. And now relax. Feel your belly becoming more and more relaxed. Now begin the relaxation of your hips and legs. Tighten your hips and legs by pressing down the heels of your feet towards the ground. Feel the tension in your hips, Quads. And now relax. Let your relaxation spread deeper and deeper. Now curl your toes and tighten the muscles of your feet. Feel the tension for a moment. And now release. Now scan your entire body. And allow any tension to drain away. Feel yourself becoming more and more deeply relaxed while paying attention to the sound in the background. Notice on your feeling now. You can do this practice again anytime and do it as often as you want.