Progressive Neuromuscular Relaxation

Progressive neuromuscular relaxation emphasises the relaxation of voluntary skeletal muscles, those muscles over which you have conscious control and initiates parasympathetic nervous system activity by first tensing and consciously releasing tension. This technique seeks to achieve increased control over skeletal muscle (Benson 1977). All thoughts occur with collateral skeletal muscle activity. Therefore learning to differentiate between states of tension in your body can help you to release muscular tension rather than allowing it to build to a chronic state. Progressive relaxation aims to turn off the stress response and evoke the relaxation response

Make yourself comfortable either lying or sitting in recline but be aware that there is a greater chance of falling asleep if lying down. However, if working with large groups lying down with eyes closed limits the distractions and allows the members of the group to become present with their own sensations. When working on a one-to-one basis it may be possible to sit and leave eyes open but unfocused.

If lying let the feet fall open, thighs relax, arms down by sides with the back of the hand on the floor. Or alternatively hands can lie side by side on your abdomen. Do not intertwine the fingers. Take some time to insure you are comfortable and use cushions to support areas of the body that may be painful. Once you are comfortable and able to remain still begin the following:

Breath out.. Sigh.. Let the body go loose.
Depending on the time available you can shortcut through many of the following. For example rather than the feet, calves, thighs you could just tighten and release the legs. So PMR can be tailored to suit your needs.
*Where 'hold' is used and '....' is used between words hold tightness for 3 to 8 seconds
** Where release or relax is used, release the contraction slowly and allow 20/30 seconds to go by before moving on to the next stage thus allowing practitioners time to tune into sensations and release tension.
Curl up your toes... Wriggle them out... And relax them Press your heels into the floor tightening your feet..hold... and release Tighten your calf muscles... hold... and release
Now the muscles from the knees down are loose and heavy. Let the feet roll out and the calf muscles relax.
Tighten the thigh muscles...hold...and release Tighten the bum muscles... hold... and release Press your back into the floor, tightening your tummy muscles...hold... and let go.
Now from the waist down the body is relaxed. The feet fall open, the thighs roll out, bum and tummy is relaxed.
Tighten your hands, make a fist... stretch the fingers out... and relax the backs of the hands on the floor beside you. Tighten your arms...raise them off the floor and release arms and hands Raise your shoulders up to your ears.. hold.. stretch them down by your sides.. far as you can go.. and release Tighten your chest muscles...hold....and release Press your shoulders into the floor while stretching your chest up.. hold.. and relax
Now from the neck down your body feels loose and heavy. Shoulders are relaxed, arms and hands are relaxed, chest and upper back muscles are loose, tummy and lower back muscles are loose, bum muscles have let go, thighs roll out, calf muscles are relaxed and feet fall out and away from the centre line of the body.
Lift your head up and bring your chin onto your chest..hold..and lower your head slowly to the floor. Press the back of your head against the floor..hold and release. (If neck muscles get very tight during this stage, release the muscles by moving your head from side to side.) Tighten your mouth..hold... now stretch your mouth as if you were yawning..hold.. and release. Do not close the mouth up but leave the jaw relaxed. Make sure you are not clenching your teeth together. Make sure your tongue is not up against the roof of your mouth but relaxed down behind your lower teeth. Move your jaw from side to side to release any tension and relax the lower part of your face. Tighten your eyes..squeeze them tight..release and stretch your eyebrows up.. and let go. Feel the skin on your forehead smoothen out.. feel the skin on your scalp smoothen out and let your whole body go loose
Your face and head are relaxed... Your neck and shoulders are relaxed... Your arm and hands are relaxed... Your chest and upper back muscles are loose... Your tummy and lower back muscles are loose... Your bum muscles have let go... Your thigh muscles are relaxed and roll out... Your calf muscles are relaxed... Your feet and toes and relaxed and the feet fall out and away from the centre line of the body.
All of your body is loose and heavy.. Keep your focus on the sensations of letting go.. relaxing... Releasing