Progressive Muscle Relaxation

A systematic technique for releasing physical tension by tensing and relaxing muscle groups one at a time. Used widely in anxiety treatment, insomnia and stress management.

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the 1920s. His insight was simple: you cannot be physically tense and physically relaxed at the same time. By deliberately creating tension in a muscle and then releasing it, you teach your body to recognise the difference and deepen into genuine relaxation.

Decades of research have since confirmed its effectiveness for anxiety, chronic stress, insomnia, headaches and pain. It is now one of the most recommended techniques in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for anxiety and is a core skill in many trauma-informed treatment programmes.

How to do it

Allow 15 to 20 minutes for your first few sessions. Find somewhere quiet where you will not be disturbed. You can sit or lie down.

Why it works

Chronic anxiety and stress create a low-level background of physical tension that most people stop noticing. Shoulders sit slightly raised. Jaws clench. Stomach muscles stay subtly braced. Over time this physical holding contributes to fatigue, pain and a persistent sense of unease.

PMR works by making this tension visible through contrast. When you tense a muscle deliberately and then release it, the nervous system receives a clear signal: this is what relaxed feels like. With repeated practice, you become better at recognising tension earlier and releasing it without needing to go through the full sequence.

From a physiological perspective, the technique activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing heart rate and cortisol levels. It is one of the few relaxation techniques with robust evidence across both anxiety and insomnia, making it particularly useful when stress is affecting sleep.

Shortened version

Once you are familiar with the full sequence, you can use a shorter version in daily life. Tense all the muscle groups at once: make fists, shrug your shoulders, scrunch your face and tighten your legs simultaneously. Hold for 5 seconds. Then release everything at once and breathe out slowly. This whole-body version takes under 30 seconds and can be done discreetly in a meeting, on public transport or before a difficult conversation.

When to use it

• For anxiety and stress: as a daily practice to lower your baseline tension level
• For insomnia: as part of a wind-down routine before bed, lying down in the dark
• Before a difficult situation: to arrive physically regulated rather than braced
• After therapy sessions: to complete the nervous system response and return to baseline
• For chronic pain: in consultation with a physiotherapist or clinician, avoiding any injured areas

Cautions

PMR is safe for most people. A few things to be aware of:

• Skip any muscle group that is injured, painful or recovering from surgery
• Some people experience increased anxiety when first paying attention to their body. If this happens, start with just one or two muscle groups and build gradually
• If you have a heart condition, avoid prolonged breath-holding during the chest step and consult your doctor before beginning

Other regulation techniques

• 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding: sensory anchoring for anxiety and dissociation
• Drop Anchor: ACT-based grounding for overwhelm
• Butterfly Hug: bilateral self-tapping for EMDR preparation and anxiety
• Box breathing: a 4-4-4-4 breathing pattern that builds vagal tone
• Physiological sigh: a double inhale and long exhale for rapid stress relief