Progressive muscle relaxation is an exercise that relaxes your body and mind as well as soothes your nervous system.
So we'll do this by progressively working through certain muscle groups of the body by tensing and relaxing these muscles.
We will tense each muscle but without too much of a strain for around five seconds.
We then release that tension appreciating what it feels like to relax.
Please be mindful of injuries or parts of your body that are in pain or susceptible to pain.
Know that you can visualize certain parts of your body relaxing and that can be just as effective.
Now we're ready for progressive muscle relaxation.
Start by curling your toes under and tensing your feet and your calves.
Curling your toes under 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release the tension.
Now flex your feet by pulling your toes upwards towards you.
Feel the tension in your calves 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release the tension.
Now tighten your left thigh by straightening your left leg and pointing your toes so that your left thigh muscle feels stiff 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release the tension.
Now tighten your right thigh by straightening your right leg and pointing your toes so that your right thigh muscle feels stiff 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release the tension.
And now in this relaxed state appreciating what it feels like with your legs,
Your feet nice and relaxed in this moment and continuing.
Now tightening your buttocks.
Feel the tension in your hips 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release the tension.
Feel your hips relax.
Now gently arch your lower back.
Feel the muscles in your spine tighten 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release the tension.
Feeling that relaxation and the tension dissolve.
Now tightening the muscles of the stomach by sucking your stomach in towards your spine 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release the tension.
And now tightening your chest.
Do this by taking a very deep breath in and hold this breath 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release.
Now tense your upper back.
Do this by pulling your shoulder blades back.
Try to make your shoulder blades touch together 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release.
Now lift your shoulders up as high as they can go as though they are touching your ears 1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Let your shoulders drop.
Release the tension.
Nice and loose,
Nice and heavy.
Now tighten your triceps,
The back of your arms by extending your arms out and locking your elbows 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release.
Now flex your upper arms,
The biceps,
Both together.
Ready?
1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Relax,
Appreciating relaxation in your arms in this moment.
Now tightly clench both fists.
Ready?
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release.
Okay,
Now gently pull your head back as far as comfortable,
Looking up to the ceiling 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and feel the weight of your head and neck as you relax.
Now tighten your eye muscles by squinting your eyelids tight.
Ready?
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release.
Now smile as wide as you can.
It's okay,
No one can see you.
Ready?
1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Feel the softness in your face and now raise your eyebrows as high as you can.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and release.
Softness around your forehead,
Your face,
Nice and relaxed.
Connecting to your out-breath.
Beautiful.
Noticing what it feels like,
Appreciating the relaxation.
Noticing how your body is gently held by the flow of gravity in this moment.
Noticing the parts of your body where you feel the residual effects of the tension as your body is now more relaxed.
Now gently connecting to the out-breath as well as noticing how gravity gently holds you in this position and now getting a sense of the fact that in practicing this,
This was an act of self-care.
