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Get Ready for Sleep With Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Habit #14 in my 30 day journey
“Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.”
― Jane Wagner
“What hath night to do with sleep?”
― John Milton, Paradise Lost
No matter how relaxing my bedtime routine and how sleepy I feel as I take off my robe and climb into bed, the moment my head hits the pillow, my mind opens up to all the realistic worries in my life.
So I’m going to add an element to bedtime, progressive muscle relaxation. Anxiety Canada describes PMR this way,
Progressive Muscle Relaxation teaches you how to relax your muscles through a twostep process. First, you systematically tense particular muscle groups in your body, such as your neck and shoulders. Next, you release the tension and notice how your muscles feel when you relax them.
I was first taught PMR as part of sitting in on my daughter’s biofeedback sessions in treatment for migraines. I’m no expert but I’ve definitely found it helpful in times of high stress. Rather than just pulling it out occasionally, I want to see how well it will work as part of a daily bedtime routine.
Once in bed, I’m going to lie on my back and work my way up from my toes to my head…
