Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Great for relieving muscle tension, before sleeping to help muscles relax, and also for stress relief

• Start by getting comfortable in sitting or lying

• Start with your toes, working up to your head, tense up one area as hard as you can for 5 seconds, then relax (e..g, toes, ankles, calves, quads, hamstrings, butt, pelvic floor, abs, hands, biceps, shoulders/neck, jaw, face)

• Continue to breathe and inhale/exhale as you feel yourself letting go of excess tension in each muscle group

• You can also use this strategy for selective muscles groups that feel pain or symptoms, e.g., lower back, buttocks or pelvic floor