When the mind is anxious, the body tenses. This tension—a tight jaw, hunched shoulders, clenched fists—is both a symptom of stress and a feedback loop that tells the brain to remain alert. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), often practiced as a systematic “body scan,” breaks this loop by using physical release to trigger mental calm. Developed by Dr. Edmund Jacobson in the 1920s, it’s based on the principle that you cannot be physically relaxed and mentally anxious simultaneously.
The technique is straightforward but powerful. Lying in bed, you systematically tense and then relax each major muscle group in sequence, usually starting from the feet and moving upward to the face. For example, you would:
- Point your toes hard, feeling the tension in your feet and calves for 5 seconds.
- Suddenly release all the tension, noticing the wave of warmth and heaviness that follows for 30 seconds.
- Move upward to your thighs, then abdomen, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and finally face, scrunching and releasing each area.
The act of conscious tensing makes you acutely aware of where you hold stress. The subsequent release is often deeper than if you had simply tried to “relax.” It teaches your body the distinct physical sensation of letting go. As you progress, your breathing naturally deepens, and your heart rate slows. The intense focus required on bodily sensations also serves as a form of mindfulness, pulling your attention away from racing thoughts and anchoring it in the present physical experience.
With regular practice, you become adept at quickly identifying tension and releasing it without the need for the full tense-release cycle. Eventually, simply “scanning” your body with your mind’s eye and consciously softening each area can induce a state of deep physical relaxation that is the perfect precursor to sleep.
