Progressive Muscle Relaxation--Great for Sleepless Nights and Reducing Blood Pressure

Progressive Muscle Relaxation
by Michelle Huston, BS, NSCA-CPT, *D, CES, PES

 Throughout this entire technique I caution you to NEVER hold your breath...this will typically occur as you attempt to contract your muscles; however, please do NOT do this as it can be very dangerous any type of exercise--especially during this relaxation technique.  One method I use is to keep the mouth slightly open so that the lips are not touching.  This will reduce your ability to easily hold your breath.

As with any form of exercise, please check with your physician before attempting any new type of exercise.

I am NOT a physician and am not posting this in order to treat or modify any type of health conditions.  It is important that your physician is aware of everything you participate in so that they can provide you with the best treatment plan possible.

  

Background:

Progressive muscle relaxation was developed about 50 years ago by Dr. Jacob Edmundson.  It is a technique that is easy to learn and is very effective in reducing anxiety that is related to muscle tension and has been successful in treating tension headaches, backaches, high blood pressure, and even insomnia.

Technique:

The technique is simple.  It requires only a comfortable location, which can support all areas of your body—lying in bed and even a recliner are suggestions if you choose to experience this technique outside of a class setting.  It is preferable that you find a quiet location away from any visual, mental, or physical distractions.  If you have trouble shutting off your mind, try focusing and thinking about nothing—literally try to picture, think, and feel nothing.  It also is strongly recommended that this technique be performed with your eyes closed in loose-fitting, comfortable clothing, which will enhance your comfort levels.

This relaxation technique involves contracting a specific area of your body for approximately 5 seconds as tightly as possible, then completely relaxing the same area for about 10 seconds.  It is recommended that you perform each contraction/relaxation area two times before moving on to the next area of the body. 

Contraindications:

Although this is technique is very safe, there are safety considerations:

• Pregnant women:  should not perform this technique lying on their back—especially after the 1^st trimester
• Alternative:  may perform lying on their side or seated with body supported

• High blood pressure:  it is very important that you continue to breathe rhythmically without holding your breath as this may and most likely will increase your blood pressure to dangerous levels
• Alternative:  more focus is placed on breathing technique and less on the muscle contraction/relaxation until they are able to maintain their breathing.

• Any type of injury, and/or soft-tissue or muscle problems:  Listen to your body—if it hurts, then stop!  At anytime if you are not sure if you should contract/relax a specific area due to one of these conditions, then skip that area and focus on your deep breathing.
• Alternative:  eliminate using the body part that is injured and focus on breathing or contracting only the unaffected body part, if possible.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation steps

1. Lie down on your back quietly and comfortably. 

2. As you close your eyes, allow your body to completely relax and sink into the mat.

3. Slowly inhale and fill your lungs (we will do this 3 times)
1. Connect inside your body with how you feel
2. Think about the rib cage and lungs expanding as the air rushes in
4. As you exhale, feel the air rush out of your lungs effortlessly

5. Now we will begin the contraction/relaxation techniques.  Continue to keep your eyes closed and rest your arms along the sides of your body as you feel your body melt into the mat.
1. Each body part will contain a contraction phase, which involves contracting the muscle groups as intensely as you are comfortable. 
2. Following the contraction phase, you will relax those same muscles.  As the tension leaves the muscle, you should feel a heaviness as the body melts into the mat.
3. Lastly, after each muscle group we will deeply inhale/exhale 1-2 times.

6. Feet/Anterior Lower Leg—pull your toes toward your shins and contract

1. While maintaining your breathing—continue to tighten the contraction and feel your legs
2. Now relax and allow the feet and lower legs to completely relax
3. Concentrate on the complete feeling of relaxation

7. Calves/Posterior Thigh—press your heels down into the floor and slightly bend your knees so you are able to contract the back side of your entire leg

8. Anterior Thighs/Buttocks—contract your anterior thighs (quadriceps) and buttocks while pointing your toes away from your body.

9. Abdominal Muscles—contract the all of the abdominal muscles

1. Warning:  Make sure you do NOT hold your breath!

10. Upper Back—pull your shoulder blades together as if you are trying to touch the shoulder blades together

11. Hands/Arms—make a fist and contract all of the muscles from your fist up your arm

12. Shoulders—pull your shoulders up as if you are trying to touch your shoulders to your ears.

13. Neck/Mouth/Eyes—tightly contract all of your facial muscles and your eyes
1. If you wear contacts, contracting your eyelids tightly may dislodge or be uncomfortable.  It is OK to modify the intensity of the eyelid contraction.
2. Warning:  Make sure you do NOT hold your breath!

Babies are the experts in “scrunching” their entire facial muscles…maybe they know something we don’t know! :-)
 

Resources:

Dr. Barbara Cox, MD

American Psychological Association

http://www.drbarbaracox.com/pdf/treatmentstress.pdf

Dr. Joseph Barr & Associates

Biofeedback North

http://www.bfnorth.com/relaxationexercises.htm

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

http://www.guidetopsychology.com/pmr.htm

How to Relax Your Body

By:  Awakenings

http://www.lessons4living.com/how.htm

Inner IDEA:  Progressive Muscle Relaxation

IDEA Fitness Journal, May 2005

SEVEN REASONS WHY YOU CAN'T LOSE WEIGHT

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to lose weight.

You want to be slimmer and to tone your body, but your weight won't budge.

Read the following 7 Weight Loss Blockers to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your weight loss journey.

Blocker #1: Your Mind

Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you.

• Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how it feels to look the way you've always wanted.
• Protect your mind from any negative self talk. If a negative thought comes to mind, immediately reject it. This can be one of the biggest reasons individuals do NOT succeed, SO, take control and as soon as you hear a negative thought in your head or you begin to put yourself down, STOP!  You CAN SUCCEED--YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!
• You want to be thin and fit, and yet you think of yourself as out-of-shape and fat. Re-program your mind to think of yourself as fit and attractive, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal.
• Give up the belief that you can't achieve the body you've always dreamed of. See it first in your mind, and then in the mirror.

Blocker #2: Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self sabotage.

Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change.

• Believe that something MUST change. You can't be wishy-washy about it. You can't be considering it. You can't even be pretty sure about it. You've got to be rock solid.
• Believe that YOU must change it. You can't pass the buck of responsibility and expect to lose weight. It's on your shoulders. Other people will prove to be great assets in your journey, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this weight loss enough to make it your personal mission.
• Believe you CAN change it. You may have failed in the past, but that doesn't matter. When you put your mind to it, you're able to do amazing things. Do you believe that you are capable of losing weight? Once you own the belief that you can, you'll be unstoppable.

Blocker #3: Your Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don't allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.

• Don't skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself.
• Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you'll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning.
• Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?

Blocker #4: Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it's no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight then your commitment to the process is a must.

• The margin between success and failure is bridged by your commitment. Don't give up until your goal has been achieved; however, you have to remember this goal is never final....you will and can achieve your weight loss goals, but then you must move into maintenance and keep it.  This IS a goal that is never complete--it's just like a clean house...you can clean it, but if you live there you must keep picking it up, but the big job is completed and now it's maintenance. 
• Treat exercise with the same importance as a work meeting or a doctor appointment, and you'll never skip it at the last minute. Find three available 60-minute time slots in your schedule and mark them (in pen) on your calendar. Now stick to your schedule.
• If you don't give up, then you'll never fail.

Blocker #5: Your Diet

If you consistently eat the wrong food, then you're weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar, enriched flours, and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits.

• Don't eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat.
• Fat contains over twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains. Keep your foods as natural as they are in nature.  This means, prefer to eat a whole apple over applesauce.  Your body will benefit and so will you.
• Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats.

Blocker #6: Your Patience

It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself of how long it took for you to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When your patience begins to waver, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following:

• Review your goal. Is it specific and can it be measured? Is it small and attainable, rather than monumental? When the going gets tough, focus on your goal.
• Make each workout a new experience. Challenge your body with different resistance, new exercises and a varied pace. Don't just follow your previous workout and use the weights and reps you used last time. If you do not have a workout friend to challenge you (see Blocker #7), then do what I do, use your workout log and shoot to increase, challenge, do just a bit more than you did during your last workout. 
• Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won't get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple.

Blocker #7: Your Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

• Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet, work with me, your local fitness expert, to guarantee your results.
• I am passionate about seeing you achieve results - don't waste your time, energy and effort on mistakes.
• When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. I'll be in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement when you need it most. I am always there to push you that extra step of the way, while ensuring that your form is the best that it can be and that you do your best to prevent injuries.

Get serious about your results and begin the last weight loss program that you'll ever do.

Call or email me today to schedule your first workout--623-221-0516 or mrr1175@gmail.com.  Take the first step towards ensuring that you reach your goals, gain the skills and knowledge so that you can maintain the rest of your life.