Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Parts of our bodies naturally tense up in response to stress, anxiety, fear or pain. Common areas are shoulders, jaw, hands or abdomen. If the tension happens often or is severe, the muscles lock up and cause pain or other symptoms. Practising the technique of Progressive Muscle Relaxation releases the muscles, the body and the mind.

This is done by taking your attention to each muscle group in turn and either resting your awareness there for a few minutes, or tensing the muscle and then releasing it and noticing the difference. This results in the tension melting away, and being replaced by a calm and relaxed state. Progressive muscle relaxation is also a helpful tool for trauma, grief, addictions or sleep difficulties.