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Suggested Doing

Learn to Calm Your System Using Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)


Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a simple yet powerful technique for relaxing the body and mind.  By practicing a number of times, you teach your system to "bring down the temperature" more quickly and fully, in ways that are invisible to others (exhaling/sighing, "melting" muscles, and visiting a calming scene in your imagination).

There are 3 recordings below to guide you in learning PMR.  Listen to them in order once or twice.  Then use them in whatever way works for you.  You might also like having the Self-Guide printed directions.

Let your answers to the following questions actually inform how your plan your hours, days, weeks and years:

What makes your heart sing?  How are you connecting with others?  Which type of movement (or stillness) does your body crave?


Pause. Breathe.

Basic but true.


Do sleep right:

You may have heard of "good sleep hygiene."  This simply refers to cleaning up your habits related to bedtime and the hours you sleep, to overcome insomnia or an irregular sleep pattern without medication.  The essentials are keeping the same waking time every day of the week, keeping pretty much the same bedtime every night, and developing a simple routine that promotes restful sleep.  The book "Say Good Night to Insomnia" (see "Suggested Reading" under "Resources") is a terrific guide to this and more, including working with negative thought patterns regarding sleep, and the science behind improving your sleep.  It may surprise you to learn that the idea that most people need 8 hours of sleep per night to feel good is a myth!


Apps to explore:


CBT Mood Tools

This app has a number of useful features.  I recommend going straight to "Thought Record," and letting it walk you through CBT basics of identifying thoughts and cognitive distortions, and reframing your thinking to what's likely to be more helpful.

How We Feel

A creative way to help you identify nuanced feelings, and track your mood if you choose.