Just relax: A guide to progressive muscle relaxation

a woman laying down and relaxing with an eye mask

Have you ever been told to “just relax”? Maybe it was when you were anxious, worried or upset. If so, you know that is one of the worst things to hear in those moments. It doesn’t work that way. You just can’t will yourself to relax on demand. 

But you can easily do progressive muscle relaxation, or PMR, and experience immediate results. 

What is PMR?

PMR is a mindfulness technique that involves tensing or squeezing and then relaxing your muscles. It is “progressive” because you start at one end of your body and work your way to the other end. For instance, you can start at your head and move down to your toes, targeting one small area of your body at a time. Tense for five seconds, then release for another five to ten seconds. Move to the next part of the body. 

This focus on creating tension and then deliberately letting go of the tension in small areas of the body is known to have a positive physical impact on the body as well as encourages mental relaxation. It can have an immediate effect on reducing anxiety, worry and stress. 

How do you do PMR? 

First, the beauty of PMR is that it can be done anywhere. Ideally you want a comfortable environment and to be sitting or lying down, but you can do it sitting at your desk at work or school, stopped in traffic or on a bus, or in a waiting room. To achieve the best results you probably want about 10 minutes to focus. It can be self-guided, though some therapists and yogis incorporate it into their practices. 

To begin, close your eyes, take some deep breaths to calm down, pick your head or toes to start with and follow these steps:

Clenching fist

Step 1: Inhale and squeeze the muscle group hard. Hold for five seconds as you focus on how the tension feels. Don't push it. This should not be painful.

Step 2: Exhale and relax that muscle for five to ten seconds. Give yourself a moment to notice how you feel in that muscle group area.

Step 3: Repeat Step 1 and Step 2 with the next muscle group. Continue working through your body.

As you do, you should covering the following parts of the body:

  • Head: forehead, jaw, neck
  • Upper body: shoulders, biceps, forearms, palm-opened hand, closed fists, chest, stomach
  • Lower body: buttocks, thighs, calves, feet, toes

If you have any area with excessive tension, you can repeat it. Or if you only have one troubled area, you can just target it. This can be done as needed for relief. 

What are the benefits?

In addition to providing immediate relief for anxiety and stress, PMR can improve focus and mood, promote emotional regulation and alleviate headaches and stomachaches. It can also help with other common co-occurring conditions when practiced with frequency. PMR can improve sleep, lessen fatigue, and help manage pain and digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome. 

It is important to know that while PMR is an excellent way to help manage anxiety and related symptoms, if you are experiencing persistent medical conditions that are negatively affecting your quality of life, you should consult a medical provider. PMR is a coping strategy, not a cure for anything or the replacement for medical treatment. Additionally, if you experience any pain while practicing PMR, you should stop immediately. 

How can I learn more or start using PMR?

It is easy to learn to do PMR on your own. But if you need help getting started, there are resources. 

If you are already in mental health treatment, ask your provider to support you in learning these techniques or ways they can incorporate them into your treatment. It is not necessary to spend large amounts of money on specific PMR professionals, and there is no current licensing board that oversees providers who specialize in PMR. 

Online, there are multiple resources available at little to no cost to you. Check out some of those resources below to find free self-guided tutorials. 

List of PMR and related resources

 

Lydia Wayman and Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L contributed to this article.

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