Why Progressive Muscle Relaxation Works (at least according to neuroscience)
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is one of my favourite relaxation techniques, and I want to share it with you. It’s a simple practice: you gently tense and then slowly release different muscle groups in your body. There are lots of ways to do this, but I like to move in a specific sequence, from head to toe. When time allows, I slow it right down and separate the muscle groups even more so I can really tune in.
At its core, PMR helps you notice where your body is holding tension and teaches you how to let it go. It’s also a way to connect with your body and listen to your parts through sensation, not just thought.
When you practise it regularly, it may help reduce stress, ease anxiety, and relieve physical symptoms like tight shoulders or headaches. It can also support body awareness and help you feel more grounded in your day-to-day life.
They have strong, thoughtful, intellectualising parts. So do I, and that’s probably part of why we work well together.
And what that means is, we don’t try something because someone says it might help. We want to understand it. We want to know the why behind it. The science. The mechanisms. The reason it matters.
Because when we understand what’s happening under the surface, we are more likely to actually do it. And to come back to it consistently. Not only when we are already burnt out or overwhelmed, but as a steady and supportive part of how we take care of ourselves.
So, let’s break it down: how and why does PMR actually work?
Often, when a stressed, anxious or overwhelmed part is activated, it doesn’t only speak through thoughts or emotions. It also shows up in the body: clenched jaw, tight shoulders, shallow breath, restless legs. These physical responses are often parts trying to protect you. They are doing their best to keep you safe, alert or in control.
PMR is about bringing gentle awareness to those parts. Remember, we’re not trying to override them or push them away. Just notice them. Befriend them. Make contact with the parts of you that are working hard behind the scenes.
The Body Map of Our Anxious Part
I use the driver’s seat analogy to explain it. Imagine different parts of you taking turns driving the car. When the stress part is in the driver’s seat, it’s calling the shots, and your body follows its lead.
Here are 5 ways PMR helps:
1. It helps shift you out of “fight or flight” mode
When the stress part is in charge, your body activates the sympathetic nervous system. This is the system responsible for the fight, flight, freeze, fawn or flop response. Your body is wired into your nervous system, which means it responds automatically. That might look like a racing heart, tense muscles or shallow breathing (see the diagram above).
PMR helps do the opposite. By tensing and then releasing your muscles on purpose, you are signalling to your body that it is safe. This turns on the parasympathetic nervous system, also called the “rest and digest” system. It slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and sends the message to the brain: we’re okay now.
2. It helps calm the emotional centres of the brain
Stress and anxiety mostly live in the amygdala, a small almond-shaped part of the brain that acts as your internal alarm system. It scans for danger and triggers the stress response.
PMR sends soothing signals from your body to your brain. This helps regulate the amygdala, and over time may reduce its overall reactivity. It may also support the development of a wider window of tolerance and a greater sense of emotional steadiness.
PMR is also linked with lower levels of cortisol, one of the main stress hormones. When cortisol levels decrease, the brain may be better protected from the long-term impacts of stress, including sleep issues, burnout and difficulty concentrating.
3. It increases body awareness (in a helpful way)
Many of us move through the day disconnected from our bodies. We only really notice them when something feels wrong or painful.
PMR is a gentle way to build interoceptive awareness. This is the ability to notice and respond to internal sensations like tension or calm. When you practise regularly, you begin to recognise tension earlier. That gives you the opportunity to pause, reset and support yourself before things escalate.
4. It interrupts the anxiety–tension loop
Anxiety often lives in the body (see diagram above). It might show up as a clenched jaw, a tight chest or a knot in your stomach. That tension can then reinforce the message to your brain that something is wrong, which keeps the anxiety going. PMR helps interrupt this loop. By softening the body, you calm the mind. And when your mind feels safer, your body follows.
5. It supports your brain’s ability to manage stress
Like anything else, relaxation is something the brain can learn (just like archery, basketball, dance). The more you practise PMR, the easier it becomes to return to a relaxed state, even when things are stressful. Repetition builds new neural pathways. Over time, the prefrontal cortex (which helps you regulate emotions and make decisions) becomes stronger, and the amygdala becomes less reactive. This can help increase your ability to respond to life with more calm, clarity and capacity. This process is called neuroplasticity which is the brain’s ability to change through experience and practice.
Gentle Reminder:
PMR might seem like a small thing, but it can have a big impact. It’s one way to connect your mind and body, reset the stress response, and remind your nervous system that it is safe. If you’re new to PMR, start small. Even 5 to 10 minutes a day can make a difference. And if you would like a guided script or audio to help you get started, feel free to contact me.