Achieve deep relaxation with this long passive progressive muscle relaxation audio. Passive PMR involves relaxing muscles throughout your body by thinking about releasing tension. Take your time to relax slowly until you are deeply relaxed. There is no tightening of muscles; with passive PMR, you simply lie still and let each muscle relax.
This is the full relaxation script that you can read for your own relaxation or to facilitate a guided relaxation group session.
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Passive Progressive Muscle Relaxation Script (full script)
To begin the passive progressive muscle relaxation, lie down on your back or sit in a reclined position. Close your eyes, and take a deep breath in. Concentrate on your breathing as you slowly exhale.
Breathe in again, letting any distractions and worries slip away. Slowly breathe out.
Breathe slowly in and out as you focus on being present in this moment.
Breathe at your own pace now, allowing each breath to come and go naturally.
Let your attention be fully here, right now, just concentrating on being present in this moment. If your attention wanders, it’s okay. Just focus again on the relaxation exercise any time your thoughts drift.
This exercise will allow you to relax your muscles in your whole body, starting at your feet, and moving up all the way to the top of your head. All you need to do is focus on each area, think about relaxing, and allow your muscles to relax.
[The passive progressive muscle relaxation script continues below the video].
Lower Body Relaxation: Feet and Lower Legs
Let’s start now at your feet. Focus on your toes, and imagine your toes becoming relaxed. Relaxation may feel warm, a little bit heavy, maybe even slightly tingly…or it may not feel like anything at all. Think about relaxing your toes.
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Allow the bottoms of your feet to relax. Imagine the soles of your feet relaxing…releasing tension…resting as if you are taking your shoes off after a long day and soaking your feet in a nice, warm, bath.
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Imagine a feeling of relaxation continuing to the tops of your feet…your heels…so pleasant and warm and loose.
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Allow your feet to fully relax. Imagine that your feet are becoming warmer…and heavier…so nice and relaxed.
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Concentrate on your ankles now. Allow your ankles to relax.
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Focus on your lower legs. Allow the muscles of your lower legs to go limp. Let every bit of tension go.
(Pause)
Notice your feet and lower legs, and imagine a good feeling of relaxation filling your lower legs and feet as you allow them to relax even further. Relaxation feels different than tension. It is a pleasant feeling. Notice a feeling of relaxation all the way from your feet…to your ankles…to your lower legs. For the next moment, let your lower legs and feet totally relax and go completely limp.
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It feels good to relax. Take a nice, calming breath, and as you breathe out, let go of any worries that may have come to mind. Keep breathing slow, rhythmic breaths and turn your attention to your knees. Allow your knees to relax.
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Lower Body Relaxation: Upper Legs
Let the relaxation continue, moving up to your upper legs. Let your upper legs become loose and relaxed. Allow the muscles of your upper legs to become limp and loose.
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Focus on a feeling of relaxation in the back of your upper legs. Allow these muscles to become even more relaxed. Notice the sides of your upper legs, and allow these muscles to relax further. Now concentrate on the front of your thighs, and let these muscles relax even more.
Let your legs be so relaxed that they are like two soft strands of cooked spaghetti…totally loose and limp. It feels so good to relax your legs.
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Imagine the feeling of relaxation spreading…relaxing your body bit by bit. Concentrate on the muscles of your hips and bottom now. Allow these muscles to relax…giving up tension…leaving only relaxation.
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Middle Body Relaxation
As you relax, continue to breathe slowly. Allow the feeling of relaxation to continue up to your waist. Relax the muscles at the base of your spine, from your tailbone to your lower back.
(Pause)
Let the muscles on the front of your lower body relax, from your hip bones to your belly button. You may notice your abdomen gently rise and fall with each breath. So calm and relaxed. Notice the gentle movement of your abdomen as you breathe.
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Relax the muscles of your sides, relaxing from your hips…to the bottom of your ribcage. Let these muscles become limp and loose…gently moving as you breathe…so relaxed.
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Relax your stomach muscles…relaxing from your belly button…up to the bottom of your ribcage. These muscles rise and fall with each breath. The movement is effortless…the air gently moving your abdomen as you breathe, while these muscles are totally relaxed. Passively rising and falling with each breath. So relaxed…peaceful…
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Allow the relaxation to continue to the back of your body. Relax the muscles of your lower back. Let these muscles soften…lengthen…becoming so nice and loose…so relaxed.
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Relax your upper torso now. Notice the muscles that surround your ribcage, and allow the muscles of your chest to relax.
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Let a feeling of relaxation continue all the way to your back. Relax your middle back…and upper back. Relax the area near your shoulder blades. Imagine that the entire surface of your torso is relaxed, including your chest, sides, and back. Allow the relaxation to move deeper, filling the core of your body with a pleasant, wonderful feeling of relaxation.
(Pause)
Imagine that every breath you take brings even more relaxation into your body…and with every breath out, you release tension and allow your muscles to relax even more.
(Pause)
Upper Body Relaxation
Focus on your shoulders, allowing the feeling of relaxation to continue all the way to your shoulders. Let the muscles of your shoulders go totally limp…completely relaxed.
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As you notice your shoulders starting to feel different…looser and more relaxed, imagine that the relaxation that fills the core of your body has risen to your shoulders and now spills down to relax your arms.
Imagine relaxation flowing from your shoulders to your upper arms. Let your upper arms relax as you allow the muscles to loosen and go limp.
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Allow your elbows to relax.
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Relax the muscles of your lower arms. Just let them go completely loose. So nice and relaxed.
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Relax your wrists.
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Allow your hands to relax. Imagine your hands getting warmer as they relax. Let your hands be completely loose. Your hands may even begin to feel pleasantly heavy. Totally relax your hands.
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Focus on your neck now. Imagine the feeling of relaxation rising and moving up to your neck. Relax the muscles on the front of your neck…the sides of your neck…and the back of your neck. Allow your neck to fully relax.
(Pause)
Relax the Head and Face
Now concentrate on relaxing your chin and jaw. Let your jaw go slack and completely relax.
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Relax your lips, tongue, and cheeks. Let your mouth soften and relax…so completely relaxed and loose.
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Relax your nose.
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Let your eyes and eyelids relax. Your eyelids may feel heavy…a nice, relaxed feeling.
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Relax your temples.
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Allow your eyebrows and forehead to relax. Imagine your forehead softening…smooth and relaxed.
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Allow your entire face to relax. Completely relaxed…free from tension…
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Imagine the relaxation continuing back to your ears…the sides of your head…and the back of your head.
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Imagine a feeling of relaxation continuing all the way to the top of your head.
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Let your whole body relax even more deeply…becoming totally relaxed…completely calm…so deeply relaxed.
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Full Body Deep Relaxation
Mentally take your focus from the top of your head, and move down to the base of your skull…noticing the top of your spine…and concentrating on relaxation all the way down your neck…upper back…middle back…lower back…
Continuing to focus on relaxation down to your hips…upper legs…knees…lower legs…ankles…feet…
Now noticing the front of your body and concentrating on a feeling of deep relaxation all the way from your toes…to your feet…ankles…lower legs…knees…upper legs…hips…stomach…
Fully relaxed from your hands…to your wrists…lower arms…elbows…upper arms…shoulders…
Now concentrating on the core of your body…relaxing from your hips…to your stomach…chest….and sides…
Relaxing all the way to your neck…face…and top of your head.
With every breath, imagine that your muscles become even more relaxed. Deeper and deeper…more and more deeply relaxed.
(Pause)
So deeply relaxed…and serene.
(Pause)
Now you can choose whether to end this relaxation exercise by becoming alert and awake or by going to sleep. If you choose to be awake, open your eyes and take a few moments to orient yourself to your surroundings. Move your arms and legs to wake up your muscles. Sit up slowly and when you are fully alert you can resume your activities.
If you choose to go to sleep, just continue relaxing and allow your mind to drift as you become more deeply relaxed and sleepy…allowing yourself to drift off to sleep.