Developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson, the progressive muscle relaxation technique helps to monitor and control the state of muscular tension. Dr Jacobson wrote several books on the subject of Progressive muscle Relaxation Technique.
The technique involves learning to monitor tension in each specific muscle group in the body by deliberately inducing tension in each group. This tension is then released, with attention paid to the contrast between tension and relaxation. These learning sessions are not exercises or self-hypnotism.
Progressive muscle relaxation technique
- Make yourself comfortable, sitting or lying down depending on your preference. Be aware of the points of contact between your body and the surface where you sit. Close your eyes.
- Tense and Relax muscles as follows: Tighten the right hand, then loosen. Repeat four or five times trying to relax more muscles in your hand.
- Bend the arm on the forearm and press strongly; perceive the tension from your muscles, then let fall the arm. Pay attention to your arm muscle relaxation.
- Harden the arm to the shoulder to the elbow by folding up and relax.
- Continue with the muscles in the feet, legs, thighs, buttocks, abdomen, neck, lips, eyelids and forehead. Rotate the right side and the left side.
- Each relaxation, breathe deeply and slowly become aware of the relaxation of your body.
- Sit a while and gradually resume your activities.