Halley Choy - "Progressive Muscle Relaxation" Artwork

Mindful and Reflective Moments

On each episode of Mindful and Reflective Moments, members from the Vassar College community will share a mindfulness practice and how their practice sustains them during these uncertain times. This podcast originated as a daily, virtual mindfulness practice offered via Zoom. We started this project as soon as we transitioned to online learning. The intention of the project was to offer a moment to pause. After the semester ended, we received positive feedback! Members of the Vassar community valued our program and wanted more of these opportunities. We hope that you enjoy the podcast and find it helpful and meaningful! Mindful and Reflective Moments is a collaboration of Vassar College's Counseling Service, the Office of Health Promotion and Education, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices, and the Office of Student Growth and Engagement.

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Mindful and Reflective Moments

Halley Choy - "Progressive Muscle Relaxation"

November 24, 2021 • Vassar College • Season 2 • Episode 5

Join Halley Choy, Moorhead Academic Coach at the Office for Accessibility and Educational Opportunity at Vassar College, as she leads you through a Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) exercise that was adapted by Laura Silverstein to help feel a little bit calmer, more focused and relaxed.

Intro 0:00

Episode 0:44
Hello, my name is Halley Choy, and I am a Moorhead Academic Coach at the Office for Accessibility and Educational Opportunity, the AEO at Vassar College.

Today I will be guiding you through a seven-minute Progressive Muscle Relaxation that was adapted by Laura Silverstein.

Your muscles tighten when you experience stress, physical pain, discomfort, and worry. PMR, progressive muscle relaxation, was developed by Dr. Edmund Jacobson. It is a process of tensing and relaxing the muscles in your body, starting with your feet and working up to your head and face.

You can do this exercise lying down if you are trying to fall asleep or relax. If you are trying to increase focus and energy, you can do this by sitting.

Let’s begin by focusing on your breathing, following your breath as it comes into your body and goes out of your body. Now take three slow, full natural breaths in and out, noticing how your energy rises on the inhale and falls on the exhale. We will begin to scan your body from bottom to top.

Starting with your feet. Tighten the muscles in your feet by clenching your toes and pulling the tops of your feet up towards your shins. Hold the tension, continue to hold… and release, and relax, noticing the difference between tension and calm relaxation.

Pause for 5 seconds...

Next, focus on your lower legs. Tighten those muscles in your calves… tight and tense… squeezing… release and relax, allowing the tension to drain away and melt into the ground. Notice the experience of peaceful relaxation in your calves. Continue to breathe naturally.

Pause for 5 seconds...

Let's shift your awareness now to your upper legs. Tense and tighten the muscles in your thighs, hold them tight, tensing, squeezing… and now release, and relax, letting any go of any tightness, letting go of the stress from the day.

Pause for 5 seconds...

Now let’s move your awareness to your stomach and your back. Tighten those muscles by pulling your belly button as far as you can towards your back, tightening and tense. Holding and squeezing, and now release, relax, making plenty of space in your abdomen for your breath, noticing how it feels to allow your muscles to be still.

Pause for 5 seconds...

Gently shift your attention to your hands. Tighten your fingers, squeezing your fists… squeezing as tight as you can…release and relax, letting any tension or discomfort flow out through your fingertips.

Pause for 5 seconds...

Next, focus on your arms. Tightening all of those muscles, pulling your arms in as tight as you can into your body… tight and tense… squeezing and holding… and releasing, relaxing... allowing your arms to settle, noticing the difference between stress and stillness.

Pause for 5 seconds...

Now move on to your shoulders and neck. Our shoulders hold a lot of our stress when driving, working on the computer and cooking. Go ahead and lift your shoulders up and in, really pulling them into your neck, holding them tight, tensing them ...and softening your shoulders... relax, release... letting your shoulders fall gently down back, and letting go of any stress and allowing the muscles in your neck and shoulders to be free from tension.

Pause for 5 seconds...

Now gently focus your attention on all the tiny little muscles of your face. Tighten those muscles by tightly shutting your eyes, tightening your eyebrows, clenching your jaw, and stretching your lips up and back… maintain that tension… start to release and relax, softening your eyes, removing your tongue from the roof of your mouth, and letting your muscles be settled and comfortable.

Pause for 5 seconds...

And… When you are ready, take one full deep breath in, gently exhale and allow your attention to go back to the world. Wiggle your fingers and your toes. Knowing that this space is here for you when you are ready and you need to return. Thank you for joining me today on this PMR, progressive muscle relaxation exercise.

Outro 5:48