Progressive Relaxation as an Insomnia Aid

While progressive relaxation exercises aren't a magic cure-all for chronic insomnia, they can certainly help. Learning these techniques has great benefits, and can make you feel better in general.

There are two ways you can use progressive relaxation to help chronic insomnia.

First you want to learn the process of letting go of muscular tension and experience the feeling of well-being that follows.

Second, once you understand these techniques, you can combine them with self-hypnosis "scripts" to help change your thoughts and feelings about sleep.

Start using this technique during the day, so you won't be tempted to use it as a "sleep crutch."

The problem with using progressive relaxation only as an insomnia aid is that if it doesn't work, you'll get more frustrated and discouraged.

Remember, your sleep will only improve when you take the pressure off. So you want to avoid unrealistic expectations. Rather than have the goal to sleep better, begin by using them just to feel better, no matter how much sleep you actually get.

Creating Your Own Relaxation Scripts

Click here for a sample script. You can use it in either of two ways:

1) you can memorize it (or something close to it - doesn't have to be exact) and think or say the words silently to yourself while you lie down or sit in a comfortable chair, or

2) you can speak the words into a microphone and play back the recording as you relax. Both methods work, but listening to your own recording gives you better focus if your mind tends to wander.

Visualizing Tension Leaving Your Body...

There are several ways you can visualize tension leaving various parts of your body.

Option 1: See it as gray smoke that comes out and dissipates into the air. As you watch the smoke disappear, you feel whatever part of your body you're focusing on feel heavier and sink deeper into the mattress or chair.

Option 2: Visualize this tension as gray or black water that drains out of your body and into the earth underneath.

Option 3: Visualize your body getting heavy and yielding to gravity as it sinks into the earth.

Option 4: Visualize a bright light flowing from one area of your body to another as it dissolves tension while it flows through.

Option 5: Make up your own visualization that works for you better! Personally, I like to see tension leaving my body as smoke that dissipates as it comes out, and feeling my limbs become heavier as they relax.

Use Your Breath to Help You Relax

You can use your breathing to assist you in relaxation by visualizing your inhalation as purifying energy flow to whatever part you're focused on... and then use the exhalation to push out the tension.

Why not start now...