To release tension in your body, first find where you're holding it, then either tense that area on purpose for a few seconds and let go completely, or breathe out slowly and let it soften. Tensing first works well because the release becomes easy to feel. This is the idea behind progressive muscle relaxation, and a short round of it, followed by a slow body scan, takes about five minutes.
Below you'll find where stress usually hides in the body, a 5-minute routine we wrote, a 1-minute version for your desk, and when tension is a reason to see a doctor.
Why stress ends up in your body
Stress isn't only in your head. The NHS lists muscle tension or pain among the physical symptoms of stress, next to headaches, stomach problems and a faster heartbeat. When you feel under pressure, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol and gets ready to act. Muscles tighten as part of that.
The problem is that you often don't notice it. The German Federal Ministry of Health's portal gesund.bund.de puts it plainly: stress often goes along with increased muscle tension, for example in the neck, shoulders or jaw, and this tension often goes unnoticed in everyday life. It names neck and back tension among the warning signs of too much stress.
Where tension hides: a 30-second check
Before you try to release anything, find it. Go through these spots and ask "tight or loose?":
| Spot | Typical sign |
|---|---|
| Jaw | Teeth touching, tongue pressed to the roof of the mouth |
| Forehead and eyes | Frowning, squinting at a screen |
| Shoulders | Pulled up toward the ears or rolled forward |
| Neck | Head pushed forward |
| Hands | Fists, a tight grip on the phone or mouse |
| Belly | Held in, breath stuck high in the chest |
| Legs and feet | Toes curled, a bouncing leg |
Most people find two or three. Those are where the routine below starts.
A 5-minute routine to release tension (script)
We wrote this routine for a chair or a bed. It combines tensing and releasing with a short body scan. Tense firmly but never to the point of pain, and skip any area that hurts or is injured. gesund.bund.de describes the classic method as tensing each muscle group for a few seconds, then relaxing it for about 30 seconds; we keep that rhythm.
Minute 1: Arrive
Sit or lie so that your body is supported. Let your eyes close or rest on one spot. Take one slow breath in, and let a longer breath out, as if you were sighing quietly. Notice the two or three places you found in the check. You don't have to change them yet.
Minutes 2 to 4: Tense and release
Hands. Make two fists. Squeeze. Hold for about five seconds. Now open your hands all at once. Let the fingers lie loose. Feel the difference for a few breaths. Shoulders. Pull your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold. Now let them drop, all the way down, on a long out-breath. Stay with the feeling of weight for a few breaths. Face. Scrunch your forehead and squeeze your eyes shut. Hold. Let go. Let your jaw hang slightly open, teeth apart, tongue resting. Legs and feet. Press your feet into the floor or curl your toes. Hold. Release. Feel your legs get heavy. If one area still feels tight, repeat it once. Twice is enough.
Minute 5: Scan and soften
Now just observe. Travel slowly from your head down to your feet. Forehead. Jaw. Neck. Shoulders. Arms and hands. Chest and belly. Back. Hips. Legs. Feet. Wherever you find tension, don't fight it. Breathe out slowly and let that place be a little softer, if it wants to. Finish with the whole body at once, resting and supported. Take one fuller breath and move your fingers.
To make it shorter, keep only the shoulders and the face. To make it longer, add more muscle groups: upper arms, belly, thighs, calves.
Release tension in 1 minute at your desk
When you can't close your eyes:
- Drop your shoulders on an out-breath. Then again, a little further.
- Unclench your jaw. Teeth apart, tongue loose.
- Open your hands and lay them flat on the desk or your thighs.
- Breathe out longer than you breathe in for three breaths, for example in for four counts and out for six.
- Look at something far away for a few seconds, then blink slowly.
For more ways to calm down through the breath, see our breathing exercises for stress.
Progressive muscle relaxation or body scan?
Both release tension, in different ways:
| Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) | Body scan | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Tense a muscle group, then let go | Move attention through the body and observe |
| Feels | Active, clear, physical | Quiet, slow, often sleepy |
| Best when | You can't feel where you're tense, or you feel restless | You're tired, in bed, or want to notice without effort |
| Evidence | gesund.bund.de calls PMR the relaxation method with the most reliable evidence of effect | Part of mindfulness programs; research looks at mindfulness as a whole |
gesund.bund.de also describes PMR as comparatively easy to learn because it follows a clear sequence and needs no imagination exercises. If your mind wanders a lot, that makes it a good first choice. For more options, our overview of types of meditation puts both next to other practices.
Releasing tension at night
Tension often shows up when you finally lie down: shoulders that won't drop, a clenched jaw, legs that feel restless. The routine above works in bed; do the tensing part gently and stay longer with the scan. Our sleep meditation guide has a 10-minute script whose middle part is all about letting the body get heavy.
What relaxation can and can't do for tension
Relaxation techniques help many people feel their body and let go, but they don't fix everything.
- Safety: The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says relaxation techniques are generally considered safe for healthy people. Occasionally people report negative experiences such as increased anxiety, intrusive thoughts or fear of losing control, and there are rare reports that some techniques might worsen symptoms in people with epilepsy, certain psychiatric conditions or a history of abuse or trauma.
- Practice matters: gesund.bund.de notes that the full relaxation response usually doesn't happen at the start and comes more completely and faster with practice.
- Tension from posture and habits: If you sit the same way for hours, breaks and movement matter as much as any exercise.
Guided sessions for body tension
If you'd rather be guided, AI Meditation: Sleep & Calm has sessions for exactly this:
- Body Scan for Deep Relaxation moves through the whole body to release tension and come to rest.
- Dream Journey with Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) tenses and releases muscle groups, then continues into a calm scene by the ocean.
- Mini-Reset: Arriving and Relaxing is a very simple session with a short PMR exercise, made for beginners.
- Letting Go of Stress combines breathing with a longer out-breath and small body check-ins for a full day.
You can set how long a session lasts within its range, and the voices are AI voices. There's also a daily meditation written by AI after a short mood check-in. See how the app works, try it for free, no account needed.
When tension is a reason to see a doctor
Tension from a stressful week usually eases with rest, movement and relaxation. Get it checked by a doctor if:
- the tension comes with pain that doesn't ease or keeps coming back,
- it started after an injury or a fall,
- it comes with numbness, tingling or weakness,
- you have chest pain. Don't put chest pain down to stress on your own.
The NHS also suggests seeing a GP if you're struggling to cope with stress or the things you're trying yourself are not helping.
Your health
This app is a wellness app and does not replace medical advice. Pain, lasting tension or stress that affects your day belong with a doctor. The NHS page on stress lists physical symptoms and when to get help.
Sources
All pages accessed on September 25, 2026.
- NHS: Stress (page last reviewed March 6, 2026). Physical symptoms of stress, stress hormones, when to see a GP.
- gesund.bund.de (German Federal Ministry of Health): Entspannungsmethoden: Welche Techniken gegen Stress helfen können (in German, updated March 27, 2026). Tension in neck, shoulders and jaw, how PMR works, evidence, practice.
- NCCIH: Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know (last updated June 2021). Types of relaxation techniques and side effects.
