08/24/2026
Progressive relaxation addresses each area of the body systematically so that the nervous system can relax. By consciously tightening and then releasing areas of the body it can relax areas of tension that you didn't know you were holding before deciding to relax. Clenching or tightening muscles allows the body to process some of the sympathetic reflexes stimulated in the flight or fight response and allows for the body to process some of that energy and move into the parasympathetic or rest and digest state.