Rest can include tension
Deep rest does not require every muscle to release. Sometimes the body settles unevenly: the jaw softens while the shoulders stay guarded, or the breath becomes quieter while thoughts continue. Treating tension as failure usually adds another layer of effort.
What one comparison study measured
Toussaint and colleagues randomized 60 healthy undergraduates to progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, guided imagery or a control condition. Each active exercise increased reported immediate relaxation compared with control, while physiological patterns differed. Read the study. This was a brief laboratory comparison, not evidence of lasting sleep or mental-health outcomes.
Borrow the principle, not a rigid script
You can borrow a simple principle from progressive relaxation: noticing contrast. Feel the weight of one supported area, then a less-settled area, without demanding that either change. Let the guide’s voice be an invitation rather than an instruction you must execute. Adjust position, open your eyes or stop whenever comfort asks for it.
Finish with orientation
At the end, allow time to notice the room, move slowly and decide what comes next. If lying still increases pain, panic, traumatic recall or dissociation, use shorter, eyes-open practice or seek clinical guidance. Explore daytime rest, guided imagery research, or Guided Deep Rest.
Verified source
- Toussaint L, Nguyen QA, Roettger C, et al. Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided Imagery in Promoting Psychological and Physiological States of Relaxation. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2021;2021:5924040. doi:10.1155/2021/5924040.Randomized study of 60 healthy undergraduates after one 20-minute recorded exercise; it measured immediate states, not insomnia treatment or Healing Rituals’ service. Full text or a complete evidence page was accessible. No correction or retraction notice was identified during the 2026-09-25 research check.
About this reading
This educational article distinguishes the intervention studied from Healing Rituals’ personalized wellness work. It is not medical, psychiatric, palliative or relationship treatment and does not promise a clinical outcome.
Learn about Lauren and the practice