The Main Idea
Progressive Relaxation helps you achieve relaxation because it resets your muscles.Β When you are stressed, it is normal for your muscles to tense up.Β This is your body’s way of preparing to fight or flight.Β Think of a tiger crouching down getting ready to pounce.Β It’s also like a race car revving its engine getting ready to take off down the racetrack.
Your body does the same thing.Β And it’s a good thing because if you are really in a dangerous situation, having muscles ready to attack or run away may save your life.Β However, your body doesn’t know the difference between real-life danger and imagined.Β It also doesn’t adjust to severity.Β Your body’s stress response system will turn on all cylinders regardless if it is a life-threatening situation or just doing something you don’t want to do (like taxes).Β So, even imagining a fake, non-life-threatening danger will trigger the stress response system and your muscles will still tense ready to pounce.
If you don’t turn this off regularly, you muscles will remain in a tense, ready-to-pounce state.Β This is why people constantly under stress have sore shoulders, necks and are tired.Β They are constantly reeving the engine of fight or flight preparing for a battle that is not real, not life-threatening, and will never come.
And if you are stressed all the time, even if you shut down the stress response, your body may not un-tense the muscles.
One way to tell your body that the danger is not real or that you are actually safe is shutting down the parts of the stress response system you can control.Β Breathing is a good way to do this: slow deep breaths tell the body the danger is passed, you are safe, and that we should shut down the stress.Β Your muscles are another way to do this.
Progressive relaxation technique is a way to shut down your muscle tension by resetting them.Β This relaxes the muscles and sends a signal to the body that the danger is passed and the stress response system can be shut down.
What We Will Cover
In this post, I will cover some techniques for doing a progressive relaxation technique.
Letβs begin our progressive body relaxation exerciseβ¦
SET UP
- The intention of this exercises is to reset your muscles and stress response system and fully relax you physically and mentally.
- During this exercise, we will progressively tense and relax each part of your body in turn.
- When you tense, youβll tense each muscle group strongly but without straining.
- When you relax each muscle group, you will visualize a flow of rest and relaxation saturating the focus area. Β Also, as you relax you will suggest to your mind relaxing emotions (given in no particular order or significance here).
- If the tension causes discomfort, discontinue, reduce the level of tension, or skip that body part or area by focusing on rather than tensing the muscles. Β Always use common sense and if in doubt, consult a physician.
- Continue breathing a personalized relaxed version of the 5 deep-breathing techniques adjusted to allow you to focus more importantly on the tensing and relaxing of this exercise.
BODY TALK
- Now, relax and take a moment to listen to what your body is trying to tell you.
- Where do you feel any tension, disharmony, or lack of balance in your body?
- Tense up or clench that area of your body as tight as you can without straining. If no particular part of the body caught your attention, tense up your entire body. Β Visualize these muscles tightening. Now hold tightly for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax that area or your whole body and let it fall completely limp as if it were heavy and falling through the surface you are laying or sitting on. Relax it over the duration of 10 seconds. As you relax, visualize a deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with relaxation. Β Feel the emotion of relaxation. Breathe deeply.
SYSTEMATIC PROGRESSION
Now, we will systematically progress this relaxation exercise throughout the entire body starting at our head and out through our extremities. Β When focusing on an area of the body, completely and exclusively focus on and tense that area and no other.
- We will begin with your smile. Β Smile as tightly as you can clenching your jaw, teeth and neck. Β Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. Β As you relax, visualize a deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with rest. Β Feel the emotion of restfulness. Breathe deeply.
- Now focus on and tense your face. Squint your eyes, tighten your cheek, forehead, and if applicable ears. Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. As you relax, visualize a deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with peace. Β Feel the emotion of peace. Breathe deeply.
- Now, focus on your head, neck, and shoulders. Β Hold them completely still and rigid and immovable as tight as you can. Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. As you relax, visualize a deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with tranquility. Β Feel the emotion of tranquility. Breathe deeply.
- Move your attention to your upper chest and upper arms completely tighten those muscles. You may want to hold your breath while doing so. Visualize these muscles tightening. Ready? Β Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. As you relax, visualize deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with serenity. Β Feel the emotion of serenity. Breathe deeply.
- Now move your focus on to your core, abdomen, lower arms and your fists. Clench these tightly. Β Focus all your energy in these areas. Β Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. As you relax, visualize deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with stillness. Β Feel the stillness. Breathe deeply.
- Move your focus to your lower core, your hip, your groin area, your buttocks, and your outstretched hands. Tense these areas as tight as you can. Remember to focus and tens only on the areas weβre targeting. Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. Β As you relax, visualize deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with silence. Β Feel the silence. Breathe deeply.
- Now, we move down to the upper leg, the buttocks again, and the knees. Β Squeeze tightly. Β Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. As you relax, visualize a deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with contentment. Β Feel the emotion of contentment. Breathe deeply.
- Focus now on the lower legs, your heels, and the top part of your feet. Point your feet downward and clench your toes as you tense. Β Tense these areas completely. Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. As you relax, visualize a deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with security. Β Feel the emotion of being secure. Breathe deeply.
- Lastly, we focus on the soles of your feet. Point your feet upwards, stretch your toes, and include your calves and ankles in this group. Stretch tight and hold the muscles tense. Visualize these muscles tightening. Hold for 10 seconds.
- Now completely relax for the duration of 10 seconds. Β As you relax, visualize a deep warmth flowing through this area saturating it with safety. Β Feel the emotions of being safe and relaxed. Breathe deeply.
- Letβs return to your whole body. Β Breathe deeply into your belly. Relax your whole body. Β Imagine your body getting very heavy. Visualize your body sinking through the floor and then at the same time floating slowly upward to a light directly above it. You feel safe and relaxed.
Now focus again on your breathing and allow your body to exist in this state of relaxation for a moment.
Conclusion / Recap
I hope you enjoyed the progressive relaxation exercise.
You will want to use this when you feel tense and need to come back down to earth by resetting those tense muscles.
Try the progressive relaxation technique audio below to help guide you.
The Essential Oil Advantage
To enhance your relaxation with essential oils, I would recommend the following:
- Balance to calm and ground you
- Patchouli to help you connect to and communicate with your body
- Breathe to open your lungs in preparation for relaxation
I only use doTERRA essential oils.Β The best way to buy doTERRA oils is through a wholesale account where you can save 50%-80% when you buy.
Open a Wholesale Account Today
Audio Guidance
Get My Progressive Relaxation Audio
Sample:
This sample clip may give you an idea of what the audio sounds like (may not be from the exact product you are looking at).
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