Softening

Tense one part of your body for a few seconds, then let it go. Move slowly from your hands to your feet.

Squeeze firmly, but never to the point of pain. If a part of you is sore or injured, skip it and simply let it rest.

A simple figure. The part of the body to focus on lights up.
How long?

Or practise one area on its own:

    How it helps

    Stress quietly tightens muscles we don’t notice: shoulders creep up, jaws clench, hands curl. Tensing on purpose, then letting go, shows you what “relaxed” actually feels like.

    1. Tense

      Breathe in and squeeze one area for about five seconds. Firmly, but never painfully.

    2. Let go

      Breathe out and release all at once. Don’t ease off slowly, just drop it.

    3. Notice

      Spend a few breaths feeling the difference: warmth, heaviness, a kind of looseness.

    This is progressive muscle relaxation, developed by the physician Edmund Jacobson in the 1920s and 1930s. It’s one of the most widely studied relaxation techniques, and it’s often used to help with stress and with getting to sleep.

    Like most skills it gets easier with practice. Some people find they can eventually relax a tight area just by noticing it, without tensing first.

    If you have an injury, back trouble, or any pain, go gently or skip that area. If you’re not sure, check with your doctor first.

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