Progressive Jacobson Muscle Relaxation.

What is Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation?

Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation, also known as Jacobson training, is one of the most widely known relaxation techniques. It helps to manage symptoms of stress, anxiety, restlessness and psychophysical tension. The technique was developed by the American physician, psychiatrist and psychologist Edmund Jacobson in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He first presented it in 1908 at Harvard University. The exercises were primarily intended to help patients cope with anxiety and to relax their minds.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PRM or PMR) involves tensing and relaxing specific muscle groups. It is based on the natural correlation that a reduction in muscle tension has a positive effect on the nervous system - reducing anxiety and even improving the function of internal organs. Regular practice reduces anxiety and restlessness, additionally helping to cope with tension headaches and improving the quality of sleep," says Sylwia Blach, a psychologist at the clinic. InviMed Katowiceand a specialist who teaches relaxation at free workshops for infertile couples.

Relaxation to spare

With Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation, it is possible to relax in a back-up way to better cope with stressful situations. In the process of infertility treatment, it is useful to do a series of relaxations the day before an important test, procedure, embryo transfer, but also before talking to the doctor or while waiting for the results of medical tests. People who are unwell during blood tests can use the training before or even during the blood draw. Professionals who teach this technique often combine it with breathing exercises or mental imagery. A guide can lead you through the process, starting from the head or feet and working through the whole body.

- Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation is particularly useful during the period of waiting for the result in vitro procedures, the first beta hCG results or, a little later, the ultrasound result confirming a clinical pregnancy. These are some of the most difficult moments for many women and men undergoing infertility treatment," says psychologist Sylwia Blach. 

Possible health benefits

Exercise is worth using regularly, even when you are not in a stressful situation. The long-term effects of practising include:

• relieving anxiety and fear,
• reducing work-related stress,
• reduction in blood pressure,
• improving sleep,
• improving concentration,
• better wellbeing,
• getting to know your body,
• increased spontaneity and creativity.

Initial relaxation sessions are best held in a quiet or darkened room under the guidance of a psychologist. Instruction usually begins by telling the person to relax and simply let go, detaching from thoughts, physical distractions or trying to solve problems.

It will not be possible to achieve long-term results without diligent training. In the initial stages of learning, it is best to do the exercises daily. Equally important is proper preparation for a relaxation session. Above all, exercises should be performed in a quiet environment. It is advisable to set aside 20 to 30 minutes for gradual muscle relaxation. Start with some simple activities:

• Sit or lie down comfortably,
• remove uncomfortable, tight clothing, as well as jewellery and other obstructive items,
• switch off the smartphone.

Once you have rid yourself of any distracting stimuli, it is time to move on to breathing exercises to prepare your body and soothe your mind before your workout. Simply breathe calmly and evenly for a few minutes.

There are different variations or sequences of progressive muscle relaxation. Generally speaking, you first consciously feel the part of your body that you want to tense, and then you need to tense it. Hold the tension for at least five seconds and then slowly and consciously relax it. Depending on your needs, you can make one or more passes for each body part before moving on to the next muscle group. Progressive muscle relaxation also offers you the opportunity to address many individual muscles or to focus only on the main muscle groups.

It's never too late to learn

The use of Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation influences the building of resilience (mental toughness) and enriches the repertoire of techniques that help a person cope with unpredictable and difficult situations. This is why Jacobson training is ideal for people who want to learn how to relax. It can be learnt by people who would like to prepare for a crisis situation, as well as by people who have already found themselves in one. PRM can be learned at any age.

Learning Progressive Jacobson Muscle Relaxation in 3 stages

Learning to relax your muscles is not difficult, but, like a fertility-boosting diet, it requires determination and regularity. When done correctly, the learning process consists of three stages.

Stage 1: Learning and practising at home

The whole procedure is best learned under the guidance of a psychologist, who will ensure that the sequence of tensing and relaxing the various muscle groups is performed correctly. Then, after a session with a psychologist, you perform the relaxation yourself every day for two weeks at home. In states of severe mental, physical or psycho-physical tension, it is recommended to perform the relaxation procedure twice a day every day until the tension, anxiety or stress symptoms are reduced. In addition, performing the relaxation before going to sleep will have a beneficial effect on improving the quality of sleep.

Stage 2: Exercises in different locations and neutral situations

After a two-week training period at home, start practising relaxing the tense muscle groups in different situations. To begin with, practice in situations that are neutral or uncomfortable for you, such as when riding the bus, washing the dishes, in a restaurant, at work, etc. The aim of the second stage of practice is to learn to identify the early signs of tension in the body and then to relax that part of the body in order to prevent the condition from getting any worse.  

Step 3. Muscle relaxation exercise in a stressful situation

The third stage is to practise relaxation in stressful, uncomfortable situations in which one feels psycho-physical tension (e.g. waiting for an embryo transfer in an IVF procedure). Use any signs of tension in the body as a signal to relax the muscles.

Early signs indicating the presence of tension in the body include:

• tense neck and shoulder muscles,
• abdominal pains,
• hands clenched into a fist and jaw clenched,
• gnashing of teeth.

Once symptoms of tension have been recognised, the Jacobson PRM sequence should be applied straight away. - If you anticipate that a situation may be difficult for you, it is a good idea to carry out the whole Jacobson Progressive Muscle Relaxation procedure a little earlier to refresh the skill and be able to apply it more effectively in a more difficult moment, our expert suggests.

The benefits of doing a PRM session stay with us throughout the day. The advantage is that by learning relaxation, we can apply it to any situation where we feel strong psycho-physical tension or simply need to relax.