Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Step-by-Step Guide

What It Is

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) was developed in the 1930s by physician Edmund Jacobson, and it remains one of the most effective relaxation techniques available. It works on a simple principle: physical tension and mental anxiety are connected, and you can reduce one by directly reducing the other. PMR strengthens this connection between mind and body, teaching you to notice tension as it forms rather than only after it's become pain.

How It Works

PMR involves systematically tensing and then releasing different muscle groups throughout your body. The deliberate tension followed by release creates a contrast that helps you recognise what relaxation actually feels like — because many people are so chronically tense that they've lost touch with what relaxed muscles feel like.

The Basic Sequence

Find a quiet, comfortable place. Close your eyes if that feels comfortable.

For each muscle group, follow this pattern: tense the muscles firmly (but not to the point of pain) for 5 to 7 seconds, then release suddenly and completely.

Spend 15 to 20 seconds noticing the sensation of relaxation before moving to the next group.

Hands and forearms: Make tight fists. Squeeze. Hold. Release. Notice the warmth and looseness in your hands.

Upper arms: Press your arms tightly against your sides, tensing the biceps. Hold. Release.

Shoulders: Raise your shoulders up toward your ears as high as they'll go. Hold. Release. Feel them drop.

Forehead: Raise your eyebrows as high as possible, wrinkling your forehead. Hold. Release. Feel the forehead smooth out.

Eyes and cheeks: Squeeze your eyes tightly shut. Hold. Release.

Jaw: Clench your jaw firmly. Hold. Release. Let your mouth fall slightly open.

Neck: Press your head back gently against the chair or pillow. Hold. Release.

Chest and upper back: Take a deep breath and hold it while pulling your shoulder blades together. Hold. Release. Exhale.

Stomach: Tighten your abdominal muscles as though bracing for impact. Hold. Release.

Thighs: Press your knees together firmly. Hold. Release.

Calves: Point your toes upward, toward your shins. Hold. Release.

Feet: Curl your toes downward tightly. Hold. Release.

The full sequence takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

With practice, you can shorten it by grouping muscle areas together, or by doing a quick version that covers just the areas where you hold the most tension (for most people: shoulders, jaw, and stomach).

For more detail about this process, watch this YouTube video about Generalised Anxiety Disorder, delivered by The Washington Center for Cognitive Therapy. The part about PMR can be found 21 minutes into the video.

Building the Skill

Practice PMR daily for at least two weeks, even when you're not anxious. This trains your body to respond quickly to the release cue and builds your awareness of where you carry tension.

Over time, you'll develop the ability to release tension in specific areas without needing to tense them first — a skill called "release-only relaxation."