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How to Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Tap through the steps in order to try it yourself.

  1. What progressive muscle relaxation is

    Developed by psychiatrist Edmund Jacobson, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a technique that releases physical tension by deliberately tensing a specific muscle group and then suddenly letting it go, repeated through the body.

  2. Start with your feet and calves

    Curl your toes and tense your feet for five to ten seconds, then release all at once. Do the same with your calf muscles next.

  3. Move up to your thighs and glutes

    Tighten your thigh and glute muscles, hold briefly, then release suddenly, noticing the difference between the tension and the relaxation that follows.

  4. Continue through your stomach, hands, and arms

    Tense and release your stomach, then make a tight fist and release it, working your way up through your forearms and full arms in the same tense-and-release pattern.

  5. Finish with shoulders, neck, and face

    Raise your shoulders toward your ears and drop them, then work through your facial muscles -- scrunching your brow or opening your mouth wide -- tensing and releasing each one in turn.

  6. Pay attention to the contrast

    The core of PMR is noticing the sensation difference between tension and release in each area. Remembering that contrast in your body helps you recognize tension more quickly in everyday life.

  7. A note on safety

    If you have high blood pressure, a heart condition, or pain in a muscle or joint, avoid tensing forcefully in that area, and check with a doctor first if you have concerns.

Why tensing before relaxing works

Deliberately tensing a muscle first makes the contrast when you release it much more noticeable than trying to relax a muscle that is only mildly tense. That sharper contrast is what makes PMR effective at teaching your body what real relaxation feels like.

A tool you can use anywhere

Once you're familiar with the full-body sequence, you can apply it to just one or two tense areas -- like your shoulders or jaw -- in a quiet moment during a stressful day, without needing to lie down or set aside much time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a full PMR session take?

A full sequence through the whole body usually takes about 10 to 20 minutes, though it can be shortened by focusing on just a few areas that tend to hold the most tension for you.

How often should I practice PMR?

Practicing once a day, especially before sleep or during a stressful stretch, is a common approach, but there's no strict rule -- using it whenever you notice tension building up works too.