Welcome to my Insight Timer,
Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
So we're going to begin by finding a comfortable position.
It could be sitting,
Standing or lying down.
And know that you can change positions at any time during this progressive muscle relaxation to make yourself as comfortable as you need to.
The first PMR exercise is breathing.
I'd like you to take a nice deep breath inwards into your chest and belly.
And now release,
Letting the air go slowly,
Releasing all your tension with that breath.
Take another deep breath as you inhale.
Hold for one moment and then exhale slowly,
Allowing tension to leave your body with the air.
Now let your breath become completely natural,
Slow and gentle.
Inhaling and exhaling.
Letting each breath draw in relaxation and as you exhale,
Let it release tension.
Allow your breathing to relax you.
The next progressive muscle relaxation exercise focuses on relaxing the muscles of your body.
We're going to start with the large muscles of our legs.
Tighten all the muscles of the legs.
Tense the muscles.
Tense them further,
Hold onto this tension.
Feel how tight and tense the muscles are in your legs right now.
Squeeze the muscles harder,
Tighter.
Continue to hold this tension.
Feel the muscles wanting to let go.
Hold for a few moments more.
And with your exhale,
Now relax.
Let all the tension go.
Feel the muscles in your legs going limp,
Loose and completely relaxed.
Notice how the muscles feel right now.
Maybe notice the difference between the tension you felt and the current relaxation.
Take a moment to enjoy the pleasant feeling of relaxation in your legs.
Now we're going to focus on the arms.
Start to tighten the muscles in your shoulders,
Upper arms,
Lower arms and hands.
Squeeze your hands into tight fists.
Tense the muscles in your arms and hands as tightly as you can.
Squeeze harder.
Harder still.
Hold the tension in your arms,
Shoulders and hands.
Feel the tension in these muscles.
Hold for a few moments more.
And exhale and now release.
Let the muscles of your shoulders,
Arms and hands relax and go limp.
Feel the relaxation as your shoulders lower into a more comfortable position.
And your hands just softly relax at your sides,
Allowing the muscles in your arms to relax completely.
Bring your focus again to your breathing.
Just checking in with your slow,
Even,
Regular breaths.
Breathe in that sense of relaxation and exhale in tension.
Breathing in relaxation.
Breathing out tension.
Continue to allow your breath to be comfortable and smooth.
Now taking the focus to the area of the buttocks.
Tighten these muscles as much as you can.
Squeeze in.
Hold this tension.
Hold for a moment longer.
And as you exhale,
Release the tension,
Relax in your muscles.
Now move into the back of the body.
I'd like you to tighten the muscles of your back.
Feel your back tightening,
Pulling your shoulders back,
Tensing the muscles all along your spine.
Maybe arching your back slightly as you tense these muscles.
Hold for a moment.
A moment longer.
And exhale and relax,
Letting all the tension go.
Feel your back comfortably relaxing into a good and healthy posture.
Now turning your awareness to the muscles of your chest and your stomach.
Tighten and tense these muscles.
Squeeze in and hold in them.
Tighten them further.
Hold this tension for a moment longer.
And exhale and release,
Allowing the muscles,
The front of your body,
To completely relax.
And finally,
Tighten the muscles of your face.
Scrunch your eyes tightly shut,
Wrinkle your nose.
And tighten your cheeks and chin.
Hold this tension in your face.
Hold for a moment longer.
And exhale,
Relaxing that tension.
Releasing all of the tension in your features,
Feeling how relaxed your face is.
Notice how all of the muscles in your body feel.
Allow any last bits of tension to drain away with your exhale.
And enjoy that sense of relaxation and ease you may be experiencing.
Notice your calm breath,
Your relaxed muscles.
Enjoy this relaxation for a few moments.
And when you're ready to return to your usual level of alertness and awakeness,
Slowly begin to make some movements in your body.
Wiggling your fingers and toes,
Maybe swinging your arms gently,
Shrugging your shoulders,
Having a stretch if you feel that you want to.
This is the end of our progressive muscle relaxation exercise.
I hope it's left you feeling calm and refreshed.
Thank you for listening.
