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"I look at my smartphone or TV right before bed," "I let personal worries drag on until late at night," "I can't relax the night before an important event."
Many people probably have trouble falling asleep because their brains can't rest for various reasons like these. In such cases, I recommend trying "progressive muscle relaxation," a simple yet highly effective relaxation method. This technique is often incorporated into yoga and stretching classes, and it has recently garnered renewed attention as a widely popular method.
What is progressive muscle relaxation?
Progressive muscle relaxation, officially known as "progressive relaxation," is a relaxation method developed by American neurophysiologist Dr. Edmund Jacobson in the 1930s.
When people experience stress such as anxiety, tension, or fear, their bodies unconsciously tense up. This means their muscles are in a state of tension.
Progressive muscle relaxation aims to release this tension and induce complete muscle relaxation. It involves repeatedly consciously tensing the muscles of various body parts for a short period, then releasing the tension and relaxing them. It is used as part of cognitive behavioral therapy (a treatment that helps correct biased ways of thinking that affect emotions and moods, and balances thoughts) and is known to be effective in alleviating insomnia.
The general mechanism is that by recognizing when the body is tense and then abruptly releasing that tension, the muscles relax. As a result, the mind also relaxes, leading to benefits such as restful sleep.
So many benefits! Advantages of progressive muscle relaxation
There are two main benefits of progressive muscle relaxation.
1. Relieves physical tension and relaxes the mind
When physical tension is relieved, the mind naturally relaxes. As a result, it can help alleviate irritation, vague anxiety, low mood, and apathy.
2. Contributes to improving sleep onset and quality
When the body relaxes, the parasympathetic nervous system becomes dominant, allowing for smoother sleep. In fact, research has shown an improvement in sleep quality.
Various effects
Other known physical effects include:
- Improved blood circulation (when relaxed, muscles in the limbs relax, peripheral blood vessels dilate, and blood flow increases)
- Improvement of high blood pressure and arrhythmia
- Prevention and promotion of recovery from digestive system diseases
- Improvement of tension headaches (headaches caused by tension in the muscles around the head, back of the neck, shoulders, and back)
- Improvement of urination disorders
There are also various mental effects:
- Reduces irritability and calms the mind
- Highly effective for a change of pace
- When done after mental fatigue, it clears the mind and improves efficiency
Let's try progressive muscle relaxation!
The progressive muscle relaxation method basically involves tensing a specific part of the body for 10 seconds and then releasing the tension all at once, making it easy to do anytime, anywhere, and quickly.
Basic movement
For each muscle group, tense the muscles for 10 seconds, then relax and release the tension for 15-20 seconds.
*Sit shallowly on a chair without leaning against the backrest. Ideally, remove anything that constricts your body, such as belts, watches, or glasses, and perform in a quiet place, focusing on your body's sensations.
How to do it & flow
Perform the basic movement sequentially for the muscles of the main body parts. After tensing each part tightly, relax completely. It is important to fully experience both the sensation of tension and the sensation of releasing tension.
Both hands
Extend both arms, palms facing up, bend thumbs and clench fists tightly (tense for 10 seconds) → Slowly open hands and rest them on your lap, relaxing (15-20 seconds)
Both arms
Bend arms as if making a bicep, tuck in armpits, and clench tightly (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds)
Back
Spread bent upper arms outwards, pulling shoulder blades together (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds)
Shoulders
Raise both shoulders tightly, bringing them close to your ears and tensing (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds)
Neck
Twist neck to the right and tense (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds) Repeat for the left side.
Face
Tightly close eyes and mouth, clench teeth, and tense entire face as if gathering it towards the center (tense for 10 seconds) → Open mouth wide and relax (15-20 seconds)
Abdomen
Place hands on abdomen and pull in stomach. Then, tense as if pushing back against your hands (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds)
Lower legs
Extend both legs and tense the muscles in the lower part of the legs (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds)
Upper legs
Extend legs, bend toes upwards, and tense the muscles in the upper part of the legs (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds)
Finally, the whole body
Tense all the muscles in your entire body (tense for 10 seconds) → Relax (15-20 seconds)
It's okay to do only the parts you can, but it is recommended to do the entire body in the order listed above. The total time required to complete the routine is only about 15 minutes.
Since it's difficult to suddenly relax the body, the key is to first tense the muscles to their maximum, then gently release the tension. By repeating this, you will be able to consciously relax your muscles to some extent, which is the advantage of progressive muscle relaxation.
It's great as a pre-sleep stretch, and also as a quick stretch during your daily routine. It's highly recommended for relaxing a body stiffened by daily stress and tension.
According to a survey targeting Japanese people, one in five respondents answered that they "don't get enough rest through sleep" or "have some form of insomnia."
Furthermore, insomnia increases with age. In fact, about one in three people over 60 years old report having sleep problems. If you are struggling with difficulty falling asleep or other insomnia-like symptoms, why not try progressive muscle relaxation right before bed?
【References】
Coping with Stress (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
Insomnia (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
