Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique for Anxiety Management

Health Teachings: Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique for Anxiety Management

Psychiatric mental health nurses instructs patient through relaxation techniques/methods as a part of nursing intervention for management of anxiety. They can also document the technique as a part of nursing progress note. This post details progressive muscle relaxation technique for anxiety management. Nurses can use this nurse teaching to educate patient or caregiver as well as complete the nursing progress note as a patient education example.

1. Progressive muscle relaxation is a two-step process of first voluntarily tensing individual muscle groups in the body and then, relaxing them by releasing the tension.
2. This exercise of sequential tensing of a muscle group for 3 seconds and relaxing for 5 seconds, helps relax both the mind and the muscles throughout the body.
3. Individuals with anxiety disorders maintain a lot of tension in the muscles, as a part of the clinical spectrum of anxiety, which manifests as diffuse body aches and tension headaches.
4. With progressive muscle relaxation, a wave of relaxation can spread across all the muscles in the body.
5. This wave of relaxation will help lessen tension and thereby, relieve the distress of anxiety and offer relief from other physical symptoms of anxiety, such as, body aches and tension headaches.

Preparing for Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique for Anxiety Management

1. Try practicing progressive muscle relaxation, as and when you experience increased muscle tension during exacerbation of an anxiety episode.
2. Select a comfortable place, as you need some isolation with calm and quiet environment, so as to practice the technique.
3. Make yourself comfortable by either sitting down or lying flat.
4. Start doing slow and deep breathing and focus on the rise of chest and abdomen during the inspiratory phase of the breathing.
5. Hold the breath for 3 seconds at the end of inspiration.
6. Perform slow and prolonged expiration and focus on the fall of chest and abdomen during the expiratory phase of the breathing.

Practicing Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique for Anxiety Management

1. Continue to perform deep breathing, by sitting down or lying flat in a comfortable place.
2. Initiate the cycle of tensing and relaxing each muscle group, starting with the forehead. Make sure that you are not straining the muscle during the phase of building tension in the muscle.
3. Tense the muscles in the forehead, by raising the eyebrows, as high as you can and hold them in tensed state for 3 seconds. Release the tension suddenly by bringing the eyebrows to normal position, and relax the muscles in the forehead for 5 seconds. Tense the muscles around the eyes, by tightly closing the eyes and hold them in tensed state for 3 seconds. Release the tension suddenly by opening the eyes and relax the muscles around the eyes for 5 seconds. Smile widely to build the tension in the cheeks. Hold the smile for 3 seconds. Release the tension suddenly by bringing the cheeks to normal position, and relax the muscles in the face for 5 seconds.
4. Slowly look up and gently build the tension in the neck with the head looking up. Hold the neck in the tensed state for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the neck suddenly by bringing the head to normal position, and relax the muscles in the neck for 5 seconds.
5. Slowly flex the left arm and gently build the tension in the biceps muscle. Hold the tension in biceps for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the biceps suddenly by bringing the arm to normal resting position, and relax the biceps for 5 seconds. Slowly extend the left arm and gently build the tension in the triceps muscle. Hold the tension in triceps for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the triceps suddenly by bringing the arm to normal resting position, and relax the triceps for 5 seconds. Clench the fist tightly, to build tension in the muscles of left forearm and hand. Hold the tension in the hand muscles for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the hand muscles suddenly by releasing the fist and relax the hand and forearm muscles for 5 seconds. Repeat the arm exercises with the right arm.
6. Build the tension in the muscle of the abdominal wall, by slow and deep sucking in of air through the mouth. Note for the rise of the abdomen. Hold the tension for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the muscle of abdominal wall by letting the fall of abdomen, and relax the abdominal muscle for 5 seconds.
7. Slowly bend backwards and gently build the tension in the arched lower back. Hold the tension for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the lower back by straightening the back, and relax the lower back for 5 seconds.
8. Clench the butt cheeks, as if you are trying to hold the stool and build the tension in the hips. Hold the tension for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the hips and relax the hips for 5 seconds. Build the tension in the thigh muscles by gently closing in the thighs with one another and pressing the knees together. Hold the tension in the knees for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the thighs by moving the knees apart, and relax the thighs for 5 seconds. Lay down flat on the back with knees bent, have your arms flat on the ground on either side with palms facing the ground, and feet rested flat on the ground, try lifting your waist towards the roof, thus building tension in the hamstring muscles on the back of the thigh. Hold the tension in the hamstring muscles, holding the waist up, for 3 seconds. Release the tension in the hamstrings by bringing the waist down and relax the hamstrings, lying flat on the ground for 5 seconds. Lying flat on the ground, try pulling your toes towards you and gently build the tension in the calf muscles. Hold the toes up and the tension in the calf muscles for about 3 seconds. Release the tension in the calf muscles by bringing the toes to the normal position and relax the calf muscles for 5 seconds. Flex your toes to gently build the tension in both the feet. Hold the tension in both the feet for 3 seconds. Release the tension in both the feet by bringing the toes to the normal position and relax the feet for 5 seconds.
9. During this entire exercise process, coordinate your exhalation with the release of tension in each muscle group. During the exhalation, release the tension in each muscle group, to visualize a wave of relaxation spreading over the muscles in which tension was released.