Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is another way to train your body and mind to engage the parasympathetic nervous system’s relaxation response.  It can be a powerful tool to help improve sleep.  PMR involves a series of exercises where different muscle groups are first made tense, then the tension is released while the person engages in deep, diaphragmatic breathing.  PMR exercises help to relax blood flow, decrease muscle discomfort and tension, ease emotional stress, improve sleep, and decrease blood pressure. 

A series of training exercises to teach the method, coupled with a PMR relaxation method CD to further facilitate learning and training, enhances the person’s ability to relax and let go of inner tension.
 
Many people are not aware of what it feels like to be relaxed.  PMR provides the experience of what it feels like to relax by comparing a state of relaxation with muscle tension.  This process begins at the head, face and neck, and proceeds down the body to the upper arms, chest, lower arms and hands.  The process continues to the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves and feet.  When practiced daily, including right before bedtime, it becomes a powerful method to improve sleep.  All that’s required is a willingness to practice daily.