Five-minute progressive muscle relaxation.
Begin lying flat on your back,
Your arms at your sides,
Palms facing up.
You can place a cushion or foam underneath your head.
Keep your head,
Neck and spine aligned,
Making sure your spine is straight.
Keep your feet slightly apart and relaxed.
Start with an in-breath and then begin tensing all the muscles of the face.
Include the forehead,
The mouth,
Cheeks and upper neck muscles.
And then release the muscles as you breathe out,
Noticing the relaxation.
Using the breath again,
Gently rolling the head to the left,
Tightening the muscles and then releasing them.
And then rolling the head to the right,
Tightening the muscles and releasing them.
Now tighten the shoulders up and forwards and then release.
Tense the right arm from the shoulder all the way to the fingertips.
Be aware of deep inside the arm and then release slowly with awareness.
Now tensing the left arm from the shoulder to the fingertips.
Be aware again of deep inside the arm and then release slowly with awareness.
Now gently tense the chest muscles while continuing to breathe without holding the breath and then release.
Then gently tense the muscles of the abdomen while continuing to breathe without holding the breath.
And release.
Tense and release the right hip and the right buttocks.
And release.
And then tense and release the right leg all the way down through to the right foot and toes.
Be aware of deep inside the leg.
And relax.
Now tense and release the left hip and buttocks.
And relax.
And then tense and release the left leg all the way down through to the left foot and toes.
Keep your awareness deep inside the leg.
And relax.
Remaining relaxed,
Allow your awareness now to move back up through the legs,
The abdomen and the chest.
Back up the arms and back to the face.
Feel your body completely on the floor.
Be inside your body.
Feel all your muscles.
Take a deep breath in.
And relax.
