Relaxation Exercises — A Practical Guide to Recovery

Relaxation exercises — a practical guide to recovery

Do you know that feeling when you try to relax but the body stays tense? Shoulders are at your ears, jaw clenched, and thoughts racing. Relaxation exercises offer concrete techniques for teaching the body and mind the skill of moving from a stress state to a rest state.

In this guide, we’ll go through four of the most effective relaxation methods step by step. Each is something you can do at home without special equipment or prior experience.

Why is mindful relaxation important?

During stress, the body is in fight-or-flight mode. Muscles tense, breathing becomes shallow, and senses are alert. This is useful as a short-term reaction, but problems arise when the body doesn’t recover.

Many of us have gotten so used to a constant state of tension that we don’t even recognize our body as tense. Stress has become the baseline. With relaxation exercises, you learn to recognize tension and release it consciously.

According to research, regular relaxation exercises reduce stress symptoms, improve sleep quality, and increase work resilience. The effects are measurable after just a few weeks.

Progressive muscle relaxation step by step

Progressive muscle relaxation is one of the most researched relaxation methods. It was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson back in the 1930s, and it’s still widely used in healthcare.

The basic idea is simple: you tense a muscle group for a few seconds and then release the tension. At the moment of release, the body relaxes more deeply than it otherwise would. This contrast teaches the body to recognize the difference between tension and relaxation.

The exercise (15–20 minutes)

1. Lie on your back or settle into a comfortable armchair. Close your eyes.
2. Breathe a few times deeply and let the body sink against the surface.
3. Feet: Tense your toes and feet — hold 5 seconds — release. Notice the difference.
4. Calves: Tense the calf muscles — hold 5 seconds — release.
5. Thighs: Press your knees together and tense the thigh muscles — hold — release.
6. Belly: Tense your abdominal muscles as if expecting a punch — hold — release.
7. Hands: Squeeze your hands into fists — hold — release. Feel your fingers relax.
8. Arms: Tense the biceps — hold — release.
9. Shoulders: Lift your shoulders to your ears — hold — drop down. Let gravity pull.
10. Face: Scrunch your face tightly — hold — release. Let the facial muscles drop into a relaxed position.
11. Lie still for a moment and feel the relaxation in your whole body.

The first few times the exercise may feel strange or maintaining the tension may require concentration. This is normal. After a few practice sessions, the technique starts to feel natural and the relaxation deepens.

Body scan

The body scan is a mindfulness-based relaxation exercise where you go through the body systematically, paying attention to sensations without trying to change anything. It’s especially suitable for those for whom actively tensing muscles feels uncomfortable.

How to do a body scan (10–15 minutes)

1. Lie on your back in a warm place. Close your eyes.
2. Start at the soles of your feet. Notice what they feel like — warm, cold, tingling, nothing? All answers are right.
3. Move attention slowly upward: ankles, calves, knees, thighs.
4. Continue to hips, lower back, belly.
5. Move to chest, upper back, shoulders.
6. Go through the arms from fingertips to shoulders.
7. Move to neck, jaw, face, and crown of the head.
8. Finally, sense the whole body as one. Breathe calmly for a moment.

The body scan teaches body awareness and consciousness. Many people notice tension areas during the exercise that they hadn’t been aware of. Just noticing often begins to release the tension.

Guided imagery (visualization)

In a visualization exercise, you use the mind’s imagination to create a calming experience. The brain reacts to vivid mental images similarly to real experiences, which makes visualization an effective relaxation tool.

Safe place exercise (10 minutes)

1. Close your eyes and breathe a few times deeply.
2. Imagine a place where you feel completely safe and calm. It can be real or imagined — a beach, a forest, an old grandmother’s kitchen.
3. Add details: What do you see? What do you hear? How does the air feel on your skin? Are there any scents?
4. Let the image become alive. Stay in it.
5. If thoughts wander, return gently to the image.
6. When you’re ready, return slowly to the present moment. Open your eyes calmly.

This exercise is especially useful for difficulty falling asleep and situations where the body is tense but you can’t move or do physical exercises.

Mindfulness basics for relaxation

Mindfulness, or conscious presence, is the foundation behind all of the above exercises. The basic idea is simple: focus attention on the present moment without judgment.

The easiest way to start is by mindfully observing your breathing:

• Sit calmly for 5 minutes
• Focus on the breath — how the air flows in and out
• When thoughts wander (and they will), gently guide attention back to breathing
• Each return is practice, not failure

Mindfulness isn’t about stopping thinking. It’s about changing your relationship to thoughts. Instead of thoughts carrying you away, you learn to notice them and let them pass.

When to practice and how to build a routine

Best times

Morning: A short body scan or breathing exercise starts the day calmly. 5 minutes is enough.

Afternoon: Progressive muscle relaxation after the workday helps the transition to free time. This is especially useful if stress management after the workday feels difficult.

Evening: Visualization or body scan before bed significantly improves sleep quality.

Building the routine

• Week 1: Choose one exercise and do it once a day at the same time
• Week 2-3: Add a second exercise at another time
• Week 4 onward: Vary exercises depending on the situation

The goal isn’t perfection but consistency. Five minutes every day is more valuable than an hour once a week.

Relaxation exercises and sleep

Sleep quality and ability to relax go hand in hand. Poor sleep weakens the body’s ability to recover from stress, and stress weakens sleep. Relaxation exercises break this cycle.

In studies, progressive muscle relaxation before bed has shortened sleep onset time and reduced nighttime awakenings. In self-help programs for insomnia, relaxation exercises are a key part of treatment.

If sleep difficulties are persistent, relaxation exercises are a good starting point, but other changes may be needed alongside. Anxiety is one of the most common underlying causes of insomnia, and addressing it can be the key to better sleep.

Who are relaxation exercises suitable for?

Relaxation exercises are suitable for almost everyone. They are especially useful if:

• You experience constant muscle tension (neck, shoulders, jaw)
• You fall asleep with difficulty or sleep is fragmented
• You feel constantly busy or restless
• Recovery after the workday feels difficult
• You want to reduce the physical symptoms of stress

The exercises are safe, but if you have a trauma background, intense observation of body sensations can trigger uncomfortable reactions. In this case, start carefully and consider professional support.

Next step

Choose one exercise from this article and try it today. Give the practice time — the first time rarely produces a deep relaxation experience, but each time teaches the body something new.

If you want to talk about your stress and find techniques that suit you for recovery, try Aichologist. You can talk confidentially anytime and get personalized suggestions to support your everyday life.

Recovery is not a luxury. It’s a necessity that everyone has the right to.