Directly below is a common exercise
for reducing stress, calming and being grounded and present
in the here and now. It should take about 10 minutes to
run through one set of the progressive relaxation exercises.
To get the greatest benefit do the full set twice which
should take about 20 minutes.
Sit upright in a comfortable position with your back against
your chair. Take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to
relax. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through
your mouth.
Squeeze your hands tight in a curled fist. Holding. Holding.
Holding. Now let your hands go. Relax. Take four deep breaths.
Tighten up your forearms by bending your hands backwards
towards your wrist and hold tight. Holding. Holding. Holding.
Now let your hands down and relax your forearms. Take four
deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your
mouth.
Hold your hands up to your shoulders and tighten your biceps
and your triceps. Holding. Holding. Holding. The let your
arms down and relax. Take four deep breaths.
Tighten your shoulders by holding your shoulders up to
your ears. Holding tight. Holding. Holding. Let your shoulders
down and relax. Take four deep breaths.
Tighten your jaw and squeeze your mouth tight. Holding.
Holding. Holding. Take four deep breaths.
Squeezing your eyes and your forehead tight. Holding and
squeezing. Holding. Holding. Relax your eyes and forehead,
letting go. Take four deep breaths. Continue to breathe
in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Tighten up your neck by pressing your chin down against
your chest. Tightening. Holding. Holding. Let go, lift your
chin, relax. Take four deep breaths.
Move your shoulders back with your elbows at your sides
and tighten your back. Holding. Holding. Holding. Relax
and let your shoulders rest.
Move your shoulders forward and tighten your chest. Squeeze
and hold. Hold. Let go and relax. Now take four deep breaths.
Tighten up your belly and abdomen. Holding it tight. Squeezing.
Holding. Letting it go. Take four deep breaths into your
belly. In through your nose and out through your mouth.
Tighten up your pelvis and your buttocks. Holding tight.
Squeezing. Tight. Letting go. Take four deep breaths as
you become more relaxed.
Now press your heels against the couch or chair that you're
sitting on and allow that to help tighten the top of your
legs. Pressing and holding tight. Squeezing. Tight. Letting
go and relax in your legs. Again taking four deep breaths
into your nose and out through your mouth.
Pressing your toes into the floor lifting your heels high,
allow this to tighten your calves. Pressing and holding
tight. Holding. Holding. Offer your heels and relax. Take
four deep breaths.
Now lift your toes off the floor and pressure heels down
to tighten your shins. Holding your toes up, tightening
your shins. Holding. Holding. Letting your toes drop down.
Relaxing and taking four deep breaths.
Squeezing your toes together tightening up your feet. Curling
those toes. Holding tight. Holding. Relaxing your feet.
Taking four deep breaths in through your nose and out through
your mouth. Feeling the relaxation with each breath.
Now tightening your fists, your feet, your legs tighten
your arms in your chest, your abdomen, your mouth, your
eyes and forehead. Holding your whole body tight. Squeezing.
Holding. Now let go and feel the relaxation for your whole
body. Take another four deep breaths into your nose and
out through your mouth.
