Ep.50 Mental Health Mini Series #3 Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This episode in the Mental Health Mini Series, I, your host Amber-lee, take you through one of my favourite techniques, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). This technique nourishes your mind and soul having a deep impact on your mental health and physiological responses to stress. Motherhood introduces unique psychological stresses, making us vulnerable to conditions like depression and anxiety. Yet, PMR stands out as a versatile tool, offering relief and resilience across life's stressful seasons; from depression and anxiety, sleep issues to managing chronic pain, stress, and more. PMR enhances emotional regulation and physical relaxation. This episode doesn't just highlight the science behind PMR's benefits; it also guides you through a practical PMR exercise by This Way Up, designed to equip you with a technique that can transform your mind and body in the perinatal period.

Join me from 7:38 in to begin PMR.

 

Disclaimer: While the content of this podcast is intended to provide support and guidance, it is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. The techniques and practices discussed here are general in nature and may not be suitable for everyone.

If you are experiencing significant distress, mental health concerns, or trauma, I encourage you to seek support from a qualified mental health professional. Additionally, if at any point during this episode you feel overwhelmed or triggered, please turn it off and talk to someone or do something that is helpful to you.

 

Finding Support in Australia:

PANDA.org.au 

1300 726 306

COPE.org.au

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

Gidget Foundation

Black Dog Institute 1300 851 758

 

Resources and References:

The Way Up: https://thiswayup.org.au/ (your mental health professional can give you free access to ThisWayUp’s resources and courses as long as they have an account).

Abera, M., Hanlon, C., Daniel, B., Tesfaye, M., Workicho, A., Grima, T., Rasmus, W., Andersen, G., Fewtrell, M., Filteau, S., & Wells, J. C. (2022). Effect of relaxation interventions in pregnant women on maternal and neonatal outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. *medRxiv*. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.17.22282468

Ahmadi M, Rahimi F, Rosta F, AlaviMajd H, Valiani M. Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training on Postpartum Blues in High-risk Pregnant Women. J Holist Nurs Midwifery. 2019; 29(4):192-199. https://doi.org/10.32598/JHNM.29.4.192

Tan, X. Y. J., Choong, S. Y. X., Cheng, L. J., & Lau, Y. (2021). Relaxation interventions for improving sleep outcomes in perinatal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Midwifery. Volume 103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103151

Toussaint L, Nguyen QA, Roettger C, Dixon K, Offenbächer M, Kohls N, Hirsch J, Sirois F. Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided Imagery in Promoting Psychological and Physiological States of Relaxation. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 Jul 2;2021:5924040. doi: 10.1155/2021/5924040. PMID: 34306146; PMCID: PMC8272667.

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Today, we're going to be doing one of my favourite exercises for your mental health. I love, love, love this exercise. I'm going to be taking you through a sequence of progressive muscle relaxation. I know it's a bit wordy, but I promise you, you're going to thank me later. So progressive muscle relaxation, or otherwise known as PMR, it works by engaging the body's natural relaxation response. So that involves activating the parasympathetic nervous system. So that's the rest and digest, the branch responsible for calming the body. After stress or danger subsides, right? So when we experienced stress that the sympathetic nervous system often referred to as the fight, flight, freeze, fawn response, that becomes activated leading to an increased heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, among many other physiological changes.

Progressive muscle relaxation counteracts this stress response by systematically tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups. This process triggers a cascade of physiological responses that promote relaxation throughout your body and hopefully your mind. And as muscles relax, your heart rate decreases, your breathing becomes deeper and slower, your body blood pressure lowers, and the stress hormones like cortisol diminish. And the