Reducing Uncertainty

Breathing Control

Progressive Muscular Relaxation

Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR) is a purely physical technique for relaxing your body when muscles are tense.

The idea is behind PMR is that you tense up a group of muscles so that they are as tight as contracted as possible, and hold them in a state of extreme tension for a few seconds. Then relax the muscles to their previous state. Finally you consciously relax them again as much as you can.

You can apply PMR to any or all of the muscle groups in your body depending on whether you want to relax just a single area or your whole body.

Experiment with PMR by forming a fist, and clenching your hand as tight as you can for a few seconds. Then relax your hand to its previous tension, and then consciously relax it again so that it is as loose as possible. You should feel deep relaxation in the muscles.

Although you might well be able to relax the muscle as far without the initial tensing, tensing the muscle helps to provide a starting point for the exercise, and helps to gauge the initial level of tension in the muscle.

PMR can be used in conjunction with breathing techniques and imagery (e.g. of stress flowing out of the body) for maximum relaxation.