Have you ever had an aching back or pain in your neck when you were anxious or stressed? When you have anxiety or stress in your life, one of the ways your body responds is with muscle tension. Progressive muscle relaxation is a method that helps relieve that tension.
You can use an audio recording to help you focus on each muscle group, or you can learn the order of muscle groups and do the exercises from memory. Choose a place where you won't be interrupted and where you can lie down on your back and stretch out comfortably, such as a carpeted floor.
After you have learned how to tense and relax each muscle group, here's something else to try. When you have a very tense muscle, you can practice tensing and relaxing that muscle area without going through the whole routine.
The following is a list of the muscle groups in order and how to tense them. Remember to lie down when you do this.
Muscle group |
What to do |
Hands |
Clench them. |
Wrists and forearms |
Extend them, and bend your hands back at the wrist. |
Biceps and upper arms |
Clench your hands into fists, bend your arms at the elbows, and flex your biceps. |
Shoulders |
Shrug them (raise toward your ears). |
Forehead |
Wrinkle it into a deep frown. |
Around the eyes and bridge of the nose |
Close your eyes as tightly as you can. (Remove contact lenses before you start the exercise.) |
Cheeks and jaws |
Smile as widely as you can. |
Around the mouth |
Press your lips together tightly. (Check your face for tension. You just want to use your lips.) |
Back of the neck |
Press the back of your head against the floor or chair. |
Front of the neck |
Touch your chin to your chest. (Try not to create tension in your neck and head.) |
Chest |
Take a deep breath, and hold it for 4 to 10 seconds. |
Back |
Arch your back up and away from the floor or chair. |
Stomach |
Suck it into a tight knot. (Check your chest and stomach for tension.) |
Hips and buttocks |
Press your buttocks together tightly. |
Thighs |
Clench them hard. |
Lower legs |
Point your toes toward your face. Then point your toes away, and curl them downward at the same time. (Check the area from your waist down for tension.) |
Current as of: February 9, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Patrice Burgess MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Christine R. Maldonado PhD - Behavioral Health
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
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