Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Also known as Jacobson relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation is another alternative to help with insomnia. This technique can aid in overall body relaxation and encourage sensations of sleepiness. It concentrates on first contracting and then releasing each muscle in the body. This method may help those who have trouble falling asleep at night.
Aside from insomnia, progressive muscle relaxation is utilized to control anxiety and stress and minimize symptoms of particular chronic pains. Healthcare providers employ this relaxation technique with various standard treatments to relieve symptoms of various health conditions like cancer pain, headaches, digestive issues, and hypertension.
Edmund Jacobson first described the progressive muscle relaxation technique in the 1930s. The method is formed according to his idea that mental peace comes naturally after physical relaxation. Nearly everyone can master this relaxation technique, and daily practice only takes 10 to 20 minutes.
The recommended PMR procedure, according to practitioners, is to tense and relax the groups of muscles consecutively and in a particular order. Start from the lower areas and end with the head, chest, and abdomen. PMR can be done while lying down or while seated. It can also be done in a serene place while wearing comfortable clothes.
