Exploring Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Let’s face it, as humans; our day-to-day lives are much more stressful than they should be. We all struggle to work hard while still maintaining an active social life and ensuring that we get enough exercise and eat healthy food.

It is quite frankly exhausting, and in between all of that, we still need to find the time to relax for a little while. With everything else running through your mind relaxing is far from easy, but there are ways to do so effectively.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation is one of these ways, and if this is completely new information to you, I suggest you keep reading.

What Is PMR?

Relaxing scene | Unsplash

Many people struggle with being able to relax enough to fall asleep and say soundly asleep throughout the night. Daily stressors tend to keep us up wondering what we could’ve done differently and planning for the next day.

However, using PMR is a way to ensure that you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep throughout the night to get a good night’s rest and wake up fresh to tackle the next day with renewed energy.

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PMR is a relaxation technique that controls insomnia, anxiety, and stress. It is a full-body relaxation technique that encompasses the mind, allowing both your muscles and your mind to relax.

How Do You Do It?

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PMR might sound like the dream relaxation technique that you have been waiting for, and it just might be if you do it correctly. It is not nearly as complicated as it may sound and can be done from the comfort of your own home.

All you need to do is find a quiet space to practice this and then make yourself comfortable in that space. If you are planning on going to sleep right after then, you can get into your bed.

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Once you are comfortable, start to focus on your breath. As you breathe in, tense a muscle group (this could be tensing your abs or flexing your calf muscles, etc.), and then as you breathe out, relax those same muscles. You can then relax for 15-20 seconds, noticing how your muscles feel after being tensed and then relaxed. You can then move on to the next muscle group.

The Benefits

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We already know that if you are having trouble sleeping or are simply struggling with daily stressors and anxieties, this is one of the best methods to get relief from any of those ailments.

However, PMR has also been shown to aid in headache relief, digestive issues, and blood pressure when used in combination with other medicinal treatments. If nothing else, it gives you a few moments at the end of your day to just do nothing.