I can't believe I haven't written about this one sooner. It is by far one of my favorite coping skills! And it has multiple uses. And it's one that can be tweaked in several different ways to benefit everyone in their individual ways! (Anyone else get excited about coping skills?? Just me, okay)
I'm going to start off by sharing my favorite way to use Progressive Muscle Relaxation (or PMR for short; or 'tensing and releasing thingy'). Then I'll give you some tidbits and other ways to use it.
I start at my toes and clench them (curl them into your foot) for 3 seconds. I do this for a total of three times. I next move on and flex my ankles back. You should feel a stretch in your calf and tension in your shins. Hold for 3 seconds and do 3 times. Then focus on tensing your calves. Then your thigh. Some people do their buttocks (you may skip this if it makes you feel uncomfortable). Next is focusing on tensing your abs. Then the turtle stretch. This is where you bring your shoulders and ears together like a turtle trying to get into it's shell. Then tense your biceps. Next, flex your wrists back and that will create tension in your forearms. Then makes fists with your hands. Next is the cat stretch where you raise your arms straight above your head and arch your back to tense your muscles along your spine (if you have back problems, you may skip this one). Then tense your jaw (especially helps for those that clench their jaw when frustrated). Lastly, bring all your facial muscles in toward your nose.
In short: scrunch toes, flex ankles, tense calves, tense thighs, tense buttocks, abs, turtle stretch, biceps, flex wrists, fists, cat stretch, tense jaw, scrunch face. Boom.
Tips and suggestions:
Each muscle group for the way above is done by tensing for 3 seconds, releasing, and then doing twice more for a total of 3 times each.
This can be done the way I described above, feet to head, or the opposite way, head to feet. Whichever you prefer! The point is to work from one end to the other.
I sometimes recommend doing this 3 times per day (morning, afternoon, before bed) to help with ongoing anxiety and to practice it.
Definitely do this before going to bed as it as some people report going to sleep faster or sleeping better in general.
Some people do PMR a little differently. Here are some ideas to find the best way for you:
Lay down and tense all your muscles at once. Then slowly, working from one end of your body to the other, release each muscle group.
Lay down (or sit down) and visualize the stress leaving your body one muscle group at a time as you relax each one, again, working from one end of the body to the other.
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