Progressive muscle relaxation is a systematic technique developed in the 1930s by Dr. Edmund Jacobson to reduce stress and induce deep relaxation. It works by having users sequentially tense and relax different muscle groups in the body to produce a "relaxation response" that counters the body's stressed "fight or flight" state. Regular practice can help decrease anxiety, improve mood and concentration, and increase feelings of control and self-esteem. The technique involves tensing and relaxing muscles from the hands and arms to the legs and toes over 20-30 minutes to induce a state of full body relaxation.

1. JACOBSON’S PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION TECHNIQUE
Progressive muscle relaxation is a systematic technique for managing stress and achieving a deep state of
relaxation. It was developed by Dr. Edmund Jacobson in the 1930s.
UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES
When stressors threw a person’s nervous system out of balance, relaxation techniques can bring it back into a
balanced state by providing the relaxation response, a state of deep calmness that is the polar opposite of the stress
response. With practice one can relax the body like ‘liquid relaxation’ poured on your head and it flowed down and
completely covered the body.
Long term effects of regular practice of PMR include:
 A decrease in general anxiety.
 Decrease in anticipatory anxiety related to phobias.
 Decrease in frequency and duration of panic attacks.
 Improved concentration.
 Improved ability to face phobia situations through graded exposure.
 An increased sense of control over moods.
 Increased self esteem
 Increased spontaneity and creativity.
INDICATIONS
 Anxiety disorders
 Depression
 Phobias
 Stress
 Hypertension
CONTRAINDICATIONS
 There is no contraindication for practicing PMR.

2.  Before practicing Progressive Muscle Relaxation therapy, find out any history of serious injuries, muscle
spasms or back problems, because the deliberate muscle tensing of the Progressive Muscle Relaxation
therapy procedure could exacerbate any of these existing condition.
 The relaxation therapy should never try in bed ridden patients.
PROCEDURE
 First take a comfortable position… lie down bed comfortably as you can on your back. With all the parts of
your body, loose, light and free.be calm and comfortable. Keep your eyes closed lightly. Now let us start the
practice as you go on doing it concentrates on the feelings from within your muscles and body. Observe the
changes. Now make your body completely loose, light and free.
 Clench your right fist as tightly as you can tighter and tighter. Observe the tension on your palm muscles.
Hold it for some time, slowly release it, and make it completely loose and light. Now observe the lightness in
your palm. Be calm and relaxed. Repeat it again. Then breathe freely and gently.
 Clench your left fist: repeat as in right fist.
 Now clench both fists at a time: same as above.
 Now clench your fist and bend your arms: tighten your arm muscles as tightly as you can feel the tightness on
your arm muscles then make them loose and light. Let your hands be straight. Observe the light feeling in
your muscles of the arms and hands and be relaxed. Repeat it again.
 Now straighten your hands as tightly as you can make them stiff and press them by the side of your body still
more feel the tension within the muscles at the back of your arms and forearms. Now again make them loose
and light completely free and relaxed. Repeat it again. Breathe freely and gently.
 Now wrinkle your forehead: Push your eyebrows upwards as tightly as you can feel the tension in your
forehead and slowly soothe it out. Now feel the comfortable sensation in your forehead and be relaxed. Repeat
it again. Observe the soothing sensation and be relaxed be calm and relaxed, keep the entire body loose light
and free.
 Now switch your eyebrows: As if you are frowning someone feel the tension in between your eyebrows and
slowly soothe it out. Feel the tightness in your forehead and be relaxed. Repeat it once again, tightly feel the
tension and slowly release it be calm and relaxed.

3.  Now bite your teeth tightly as hard as you can. Feel the tension in your cheek muscles and slowly make it
loose and light. Feel the soothing sensation within and be relaxed. Repeat it again.
 Now bend your head forward and let your chin touch the chest. Turn your face to the right as tightly as
possible and observe the tension in your neck muscles and now turn it to the left again bring it to the middle.
Touch the chin to the chest and slowly keep it back on the bed. Make it loose and free. Be calm and relaxed.
Repeat it again.
 Now bend your head backward and turn it to the left and right. Observe the tension and slowly release it. Feel
the soothing sensation within and be relaxed. Repeat it again.
 Now bend your shoulders upwards in an arc like manner as tightly as you can. Still more feel the tension in
your muscles and slowly release them. Observe the difference. Be calm and relaxed. Keep the entire body
loose, light and free. Repeat it again.
 Now bend your shoulders backwards: Press them against your bed as tightly as you can. Feel the tension and
slowly release it. Make them completely loose and free. Repeat it again. Be more relaxed and relaxed.
 Now take a deep breath and expand your chest as best as you can. Feel the tension in your chest and slowly
release it. Observe the comfortable sensation within breathe lightly and freely. Now be relaxed. Repeat it
again.
 Now swell your belly with air still more tightly feels the tension all over your abdomen muscles. Slowly make
it loose and free. Breathe freely. observe the lightness in your abdomen and be more relaxed. Repeat it again.
 Now shrink your belly in as tightly as possible and feel the tension. Slowly make it loose and light. Observe
the difference. Repeat it again. Be calm and more relaxed.
 Now bend the lower part of your back bone upward. Feel the tension and slowly straighten it. Observe the
difference. Feel the soothing sensation within. Be calm and relaxed. Repeat it again.
 Now tighten your thigh muscles as tightly as possible. Feel the tension and slowly release them. Feel the
difference. Observe the soothing sensation within and be still more relaxed. Repeat it again. Keep the entire
body loose, light and free. Be calm and more relaxed.
 Now bend your heel down and tighten your calf muscles. Feel the tension within and slowly release them.
Make them loose and light. Be calm and relaxed. Repeat it again.

4.  Now bend your toes upwards: feel the tension in your legs and toes and slowly release them. Make them
completely loose and free. Observe the soothing sensation within and be deeply relaxed. Calm and relaxed.
Repeat it again.
 Now bend the toes downwards as tightly as you can. Feel the tension within your toes and feet and slowly
release it. Observe the difference. Repeat it again. Observe the soothing sensation in your toes and legs. Be
calm and relaxed.
 Now slowly take a deep breath and slowly release it. Keep the entire body loose, light and free. Concentrate
on the growing lightness in your hands, face, neck, shoulder, chest, abdomen, back, relax more and more
further and further deeper and deeper.
The entire sequence of progressive muscle relaxation sequence should take 20- 30 minutes for first time and later
with practice you may decrease the time needed to 15-20 minutes.