Intro: You are listening to supporting supporters, a free mental health and wellbeing podcast. This podcast is offered by Allina Health. My name is Tonya Freeman, I'm a licensed psychologist and regional lead psychologist with Allina Health. These podcasts are aimed at the goal of providing quick tangible resources from Allina Health mental health providers. Ranging from topics of day-to-day life of the listener. We invite you to join us in any way you please, whether you sit back and kick your feet up, or as you engage in movement, your daily commute, or as you prepare for your day. However, you choose to join us, we welcome you and honor your time. 

My name is Sarah Paper and I’m a Licensed Psychologist with Allina Health.  I work primarily with children and adolescents, in addition to a few adults.  I know that these last few years have been extremely challenging. I am honored to get this opportunity to speak with you today about the benefits of relaxation, particularly progressive muscle relaxation.  I’m most excited to lead you in a progressive muscle relaxation exercise.   

Progressive muscle relaxation is an actively engaging relaxation technique developed by Admin Jacobson in the 1920s.  When engaging in progressive muscle relaxation you actively contract muscles to create tension and progressively release this tension.  This is repeated until you begin to acquire a sense of complete relaxation.  Without getting too clinical, the process uses both what is called the top down and the bottom-up processing to achieve the results.  In the top-down processing using higher areas in the nervous system like the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum to contract muscles and gradually release that tension. In Bottom-Up processing occurs while you are holding and releasing of bodily tension produces proprioceptive stimulation from peripheral muscles that ascend to the brain via the spinal cord in the brainstem.  This process provides fast immediate relief.  There have been a number of research studies that have measured the the effectiveness of this relaxation technique.  Progressive muscle relaxation has been found to reduce measured levels of stress, alleviate anxiety, and reduce depression.  We know that reducing stress in her body relieves stress in the mind which then helps us maintain a healthy body.  The more we practiced relaxation techniques on a regular basis the better we are able to manage those acute high stress situations, while also lowering her baseline level of stress for everyday situations.   

Progressive muscle relaxation can be done lying down or sitting.  It is very important not to strain  overly tense muscles. Listen to your body during this process, do not tense muscles that are already strained. If there is a part of your body that hurts, please ease up on that tension or stop. If any of the exercises cause discomfort or cramping, decrease the intensity, or stop, or skip that part of the body. 

And now the exciting part Let’s practice progressive muscle relaxation.  The script I will be reading from today is from the therapist aid.com 

Sit back or lie down in a comfortable position. Shut your eyes if you're comfortable doing so.  

Begin by taking a deep breath and noticing the feeling of air filling your lungs. Hold your breath for a few seconds.  

(brief pause)  

Release the breath slowly and let the tension leave your body 

Take in another deep breath and hold it.  

(brief pause)  

Again, slowly release the air.  

Even slower now, take another breath. Fill your lungs and hold the air.  

(brief pause)  

Slowly release the breath and imagine the feeling of tension leaving your body  

Now, move your attention to your feet. Begin to tense your feet by curling your toes and the arch of your foot. Hold onto the tension and notice what it feels like  

(5 second pause)  

Release the tension in your foot. Notice the new feeling of relaxation.  

Next, Begin to focus on your lower leg. Tense the muscles in your calves. Hold them tightly and pay attention to the feeling of tension  

(5 second pause)  

Release the tension from your lower legs. Again notice the feeling of relaxation. Remember to continue taking breaths.  

Next, tense the muscles of your upper leg and pelvis. You can do this by tightly squeezing your thighs together. Make sure you feel tenseness without going to the point of strain.  

(5 second pause)  

And release. Feel the tension leave your muscles.  

Begin to tense your stomach and chest. You can do this by sucking your stomach in. Squeeze harder to hold the tension. A little bit longer.  

(5 second pause)  

Release the tension. Allow your body to go limp. Let yourself notice the feeling of relaxation.  

Continue taking deep breaths. Breathe in slowly, noticing the air fill your lungs and hold it.  

(brief pause)  

Release the air slowly. Feel it leave your lungs.  

Next, tense the muscles in your back by bringing your shoulders together behind you. Hold them tightly. Tense them as hard as you can without straining and keep holding them.  

(5 second pause)  

Release the tension from your back. Feel the tension slowly leaving your body, and the new feeling of relaxation. Notice how different your body feels when you allow it to relax. 

Tense your arms all the way from your hands to your shoulders. Make a fist and squeeze all the way up your arm. Hold it.  

(5 second pause)  

Release the tension from your arms and shoulders. Notice the feeling of relaxation in your fingers, hands, arms and shoulders. Notice how your arms feel limp and at ease.  

Move up to your neck and head. Tense your face and your neck by distorting the muscles around your eyes and mouth.  

(5 second pause)  

Release the tension. Again, notice the new feeling of relaxation.  

Finally, tense your entire body. Tense your feet, legs, stomach, chest, arms, head and neck. Tense harder without straining. Hold the tension.  

(5 second pause)  

Now release. Allow your whole body to go limp. Pay attention to the feeling of relaxation, and how different it is from the feeling of tension.  

Begin to wake up your body by slowly moving your muscles. Adjust your arms and legs.  

Stretch your muscles and open your eyes when your ready.  

Thank you so much for joining me in this relaxation exercise, I hope you found It helpful, and that you can practice it throughout your day.  

And lastly, thank you for all that you do for the children and adolescents in our community. You are greatly appreciated.   

Outro: On behalf of Allina Health and Change to Chill, we thank you for taking the time to listen to our podcast. We do hope you enjoyed this episode and we hope that you join us in other episodes covering even more interesting topics with mental health providers. As always, you can find the show notes and any accompanying research and tools at the change to chill website at www.changetochill.org. In health and wellness, take care and see you next time!