Does your body feel tight and tense? It could be what is going on inside your mind. Our muscles are an extension of our thoughts and worries, and the more anxious we are, the more we hold stress in our bodies. Both our bodies and our minds benefit from progressive muscle relaxation. It gives your mind something to focus on as you treat your body to a tension releasing practice.

Progressive muscle relaxation brings peacefulness into your body and mind. It’s accessible to everyone, regardless of physical limitations or experience level. In this 14-minute progressive muscle relaxation practice, Karon Slaton from the New Orleans VA Medical Center will take you through a gentle and mindful process that’ll leave you feeling both relaxed and energized.

Practicing these types of relaxation techniques multiple times may make you more aware of the feelings in your body and help your mind and body to relax. Learn more about progressive muscle relaxation, here: https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/veteran-handouts/docs/ProgressMuscleRelax__Final508_11-13-2018.pdf

Learning to manage stress doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process. The more you keep at it, the more you’ll feel in control of daily events. Learn more about creating a plan to manage your stress and many other topics in the Veterans Health Library.

More information

Each of us has the power to impact our well-being. Whole Health offers the skills and support you need to make the changes you want. The Circle of Health can get you started with self-care resources to live a happier life: https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/circle-of-health/index.asp


Andrea Young is a Field Implementation Team Consultant with the VHA Office of Patient Centered Care & Cultural Transformation

Leave a comment

The comments section is for opinions and feedback on this particular article; this is not a customer support channel. If you are looking for assistance, please visit Ask VA or call 1-800-698-2411. Please, never put personally identifiable information (SSAN, address, phone number, etc.) or protected health information into the form — it will be deleted for your protection.

2 Comments

  1. Brett Catruch May 27, 2020 at 19:14

    I need financial support please and thanks

    • Cathy May 28, 2020 at 13:55

      Not sure of your situation. You may want to try the Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF). Check with a local Veteran Service Officer to see if there is any other local assistance programs available to you.

Comments are closed.

More Stories