Stress Management

Progressive Relaxation: The Easy, All-Natural Stress Reliever

Looking for the perfect stress reliever that takes only a few minutes but delivers outstanding results? Check out Progressive Relaxation.

In the early 1920's, Edmund Jacobson was one of the first to measure the electrical activity of the muscles. He believed that anxiety showed itself through tension in the muscles, and he believed that if we could reduce the muscular response, then we would also reduce the amount of stress in our bodies, as well.

And Progressive Relaxation was born.

This is a relatively straightforward relaxation technique and is widely used today. It requires very little imagination or even willpower. Practicing this technique will quiet a racing mind or heart and will help you to focus better and concentrate better.

Progressive Relaxation teaches the difference between tension and relaxation since many have come to associate the tension of every day life to be entirely normal. Many have forgotten what it is to truly relax.

This relaxation approach involves tightening and then relaxing various muscle groups throughout the body, a little bit at a time. One group of muscles is worked on and then, slowly, the next.

It does work best when you can coordinate inhalation of breath with the tightening of the muscle phase and then controlled exhalation with the relaxation phase.

For example:

-Tighten your left fist, slowly, inhaling as you do. -Hold the tension now, about 5 seconds, continuing to inhale and focus on the feelings of tension. -Really focus on what the tension feels like. -Feel the burn, the lightness, the tightness and the restriction. -Remember how the tension feels in your mind. -Now just let go, slowly, and relax, exhaling all of the stale tension and air. -Notice any of the relaxation sensations and remember those. -Slowly exhale as you focus on those sensations of utter relaxation. Label the feeling, and then relax, slowly, exhaling as you do.

Repeat the same technique for the right fist. As you feel the change and are totally relaxed, move on to the next muscle group.

Try about 15- 30 seconds per contraction/relaxation cycle.

If relaxation imagery appeals to you during this technique, go ahead and attach what images you can to the feelings of both tension and to extreme relaxation.

It is important to compare and contrast the differences you feel from tension to relaxation. So try doing one entire side of your body and then the other.

Progressive Relaxation can be done at home, at work, even in your car. It only takes minutes but as a stress reliever, it can work wonders. Try it today!