How to Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation

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Table of Contents

Uses

Steps

Efficacy

Tips

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If you have an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety disorder orsocial anxiety disorder (SAD), yourmuscles are probably tensequite often. By practicing PMR, you will learn how a relaxed muscle feels different from a tense muscle.

Progressive muscle relaxation is generally used along with othercognitive behavioral therapytechniques, such assystematic desensitization. However, practicing the technique alone will give you greater control over your body’s anxiety response.

If you practice this technique correctly, you may even end up falling asleep. If so, congratulate yourself on obtaining such a deep level of relaxation, and for the work that you did up to that point.

For those with medical conditions, consult your doctor before beginning any relaxation training exercise.

Uses for Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation can be helpful for a range of reasons, including:

Chronic stress and anxiety can contribute to various health problems. Health complications linked to chronic stress include depression, diabetes, heart disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Progressive muscle relaxation can also be part of a toolbox of stress management techniques that can improve health and well-being in the long term.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Steps

Find a quiet place free from distractions. Lie on the floor or recline in a chair, loosen any tight clothing, and remove glasses or contacts. Rest your hands in your lap or on the arms of the chair. Take a few slow even breaths. If you have not already, spend a few minutes practicingdiaphragmatic breathing.

Now, focus your attention on the following areas, being careful to leave the rest of your body relaxed.

Enjoy the feeling of relaxation sweeping through your body. Continue to breathe slowly and evenly.

With time and practice, you’ll be able to perform this process to quickly induce a wave of relaxation passing through your body.

Efficacy of Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation can have a range of benefits, including reduced anxiety and better sleep. Some areas where research has found PMR to be helpful include:

Anxiety

A 2021 study found that progressive muscle relaxation was effective for inducing relaxation.The results indicated that this effect was immediate, which makes it an ideal choice when you need fast anxiety relief.

Stress

Since PMR helps induce relaxation, it can also be a valuable tool for managing stress. One 2022 study found that an abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation intervention significantly reduced levels of the stress hormonecortisol. It also led to reductions in self-reported stress levels.

Sleep

Because progressive muscle relaxation relaxes the mind and body, it can also be helpful as a sleep aid. In one study, researchers found that PMR was helpful for people experiencing high anxiety levels and low sleep quality. Participants who practiced three 20- to 30-minute sessions of PMR had significantly better sleep and less anxiety than those in the control group.

Pain Relief

Anxiety and stress can also contribute to muscle tension that causes or worsens pain. Research indicates that progressive muscle relaxation can help reduceneck pain,lower back pain,and migraines.

RecapProgressive muscle relaxation can be a helpful tool for reducing symptoms of anxiety. It can also help people manage stress, improve sleep, and combat pain.

Recap

Progressive muscle relaxation can be a helpful tool for reducing symptoms of anxiety. It can also help people manage stress, improve sleep, and combat pain.

How to Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Tips

When practicing progressive muscle relaxation, following some helpful tips can also be useful:

You can also find guided voice recordings on YouTube, podcasts, and mobile apps.

A Word From Verywell

Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation can be helpful for mild to moderate anxiety. It can be particularly helpful when practiced alongside traditional treatment such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or medication.

However, if you are experiencing significant symptoms of anxiety orchronic stress, it is essential to consult with a doctor or other mental health professional to obtain suitable treatment.

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Progressive muscle relaxation.Toussaint L, Nguyen QA, Roettger C, et al.Effectiveness of progressive muscle telaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:5924040. doi:10.1155/2021/5924040American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.Chellew K, Evans P, Fornes-Vives J, Pérez G, Garcia-Banda G.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on daily cortisol secretion.Stress. 2015;18(5):538-544. doi:10.3109/10253890.2015.1053454Harorani M, Davodabady F, Masmouei B, Barati N.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety and sleep quality in burn patients: A randomized clinical trial.Burns. 2020;46(5):1107-1113. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2019.11.021Lauche R, Materdey S, Cramer H, et al.Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain–a randomized controlled trial.PLoS One. 2013;8(6):e65378. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065378Mateu M, Alda O, Inda MD, et al.Randomized, controlled, crossover study of self-administered Jacobson Relaxation in chronic, nonspecific, low-back pain.Altern Ther Health Med. 2018;24(6):22-30.Meyer B, Keller A, Wöhlbier HG, Overath CH, Müller B, Kropp P.Progressive muscle relaxation reduces migraine frequency and normalizes amplitudes of contingent negative variation (CNV).J Headache Pain. 2016;17:37. doi:10.1186/s10194-016-0630-0

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Progressive muscle relaxation.Toussaint L, Nguyen QA, Roettger C, et al.Effectiveness of progressive muscle telaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:5924040. doi:10.1155/2021/5924040American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.Chellew K, Evans P, Fornes-Vives J, Pérez G, Garcia-Banda G.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on daily cortisol secretion.Stress. 2015;18(5):538-544. doi:10.3109/10253890.2015.1053454Harorani M, Davodabady F, Masmouei B, Barati N.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety and sleep quality in burn patients: A randomized clinical trial.Burns. 2020;46(5):1107-1113. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2019.11.021Lauche R, Materdey S, Cramer H, et al.Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain–a randomized controlled trial.PLoS One. 2013;8(6):e65378. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065378Mateu M, Alda O, Inda MD, et al.Randomized, controlled, crossover study of self-administered Jacobson Relaxation in chronic, nonspecific, low-back pain.Altern Ther Health Med. 2018;24(6):22-30.Meyer B, Keller A, Wöhlbier HG, Overath CH, Müller B, Kropp P.Progressive muscle relaxation reduces migraine frequency and normalizes amplitudes of contingent negative variation (CNV).J Headache Pain. 2016;17:37. doi:10.1186/s10194-016-0630-0

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Progressive muscle relaxation.Toussaint L, Nguyen QA, Roettger C, et al.Effectiveness of progressive muscle telaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:5924040. doi:10.1155/2021/5924040American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.Chellew K, Evans P, Fornes-Vives J, Pérez G, Garcia-Banda G.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on daily cortisol secretion.Stress. 2015;18(5):538-544. doi:10.3109/10253890.2015.1053454Harorani M, Davodabady F, Masmouei B, Barati N.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety and sleep quality in burn patients: A randomized clinical trial.Burns. 2020;46(5):1107-1113. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2019.11.021Lauche R, Materdey S, Cramer H, et al.Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain–a randomized controlled trial.PLoS One. 2013;8(6):e65378. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065378Mateu M, Alda O, Inda MD, et al.Randomized, controlled, crossover study of self-administered Jacobson Relaxation in chronic, nonspecific, low-back pain.Altern Ther Health Med. 2018;24(6):22-30.Meyer B, Keller A, Wöhlbier HG, Overath CH, Müller B, Kropp P.Progressive muscle relaxation reduces migraine frequency and normalizes amplitudes of contingent negative variation (CNV).J Headache Pain. 2016;17:37. doi:10.1186/s10194-016-0630-0

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Progressive muscle relaxation.

Toussaint L, Nguyen QA, Roettger C, et al.Effectiveness of progressive muscle telaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021;2021:5924040. doi:10.1155/2021/5924040

American Psychological Association.Stress effects on the body.

Chellew K, Evans P, Fornes-Vives J, Pérez G, Garcia-Banda G.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on daily cortisol secretion.Stress. 2015;18(5):538-544. doi:10.3109/10253890.2015.1053454

Harorani M, Davodabady F, Masmouei B, Barati N.The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety and sleep quality in burn patients: A randomized clinical trial.Burns. 2020;46(5):1107-1113. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2019.11.021

Lauche R, Materdey S, Cramer H, et al.Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain–a randomized controlled trial.PLoS One. 2013;8(6):e65378. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0065378

Mateu M, Alda O, Inda MD, et al.Randomized, controlled, crossover study of self-administered Jacobson Relaxation in chronic, nonspecific, low-back pain.Altern Ther Health Med. 2018;24(6):22-30.

Meyer B, Keller A, Wöhlbier HG, Overath CH, Müller B, Kropp P.Progressive muscle relaxation reduces migraine frequency and normalizes amplitudes of contingent negative variation (CNV).J Headache Pain. 2016;17:37. doi:10.1186/s10194-016-0630-0

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