Opens in a new tab
Free resources · Worksheets

Releasing the muscles

A brief progressive muscle relaxation

Breathing, relaxation and resources · worksheet 44

Anxiety often hides in the muscles without us noticing. By tensing and releasing them, you learn to feel the difference and to relax more easily.

Before you start

  • What it is for: To feel the difference between tension and relaxation, and to release your muscles more easily in daily life.
  • About 15 minutes, in a quiet place, sitting or lying down.
  • Tensing first helps you notice the difference afterwards: that is how you learn to recognise tension and release it.
  • Without pain: tense at half strength. If you have an injury, skip that area.

Prefer paper? Download the PDF to print (with a page for psychologists).

What to do with your results

Compare the tension before and after, and note where it most often hides: those are the areas to release first during the day.

If you find it hard

Tense without pain and skip an injured or painful area. If relaxing makes you more anxious at first, that is common: carry on gently.

To understand · Read the guide “Breathing and anxiety: what the science says”

For psychologists

The PDF also includes a page for the psychologist: how to run the exercise in session, points to watch and scientific references. You are free to use it with your clients.

For psychologists: aim, audience and duration
Learn to detect and release muscle tension by successively tensing and relaxing several muscle groups.
Physical tension, anxiety, difficulty falling asleep. Adults and adolescents. Duration: 10-15 min a day for 2 weeks.

References
Bernstein, D. A. & Borkovec, T. D. (1973). Progressive Relaxation Training: A Manual for the Helping Professions. Research Press.
Manzoni, G. M., Pagnini, F., Castelnuovo, G. & Molinari, E. (2008). Relaxation training for anxiety: A ten-years systematic review with meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 8, 41.

These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).

Free worksheet for non-commercial use: you may share it with credit to the author, without modifying it (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence).

← Back to “Calm and mindfulness” · All topics

Gonzalo Garzo, clinical psychologist

Gonzalo Garzo, clinical psychologist

A psychologist since 2018, I work with people online (in English, French or Spanish) and at my practice in La Rochelle, using third-wave CBT and EMDR. These worksheets help you move forward; if you need support, the first contact (20 min) is free.