Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation is another technique that can provide an immediate lessening of symptoms related to anxiety. It is s great way to eliminate the tension and anxiety that accumulates in specific muscle groups throughout your body. To practice progressive muscle relaxation, follow the steps listed below.
Tense the muscle groups in a particular part of your body. For example, you might stretch out your legs, point your toes, and tighten your calves. This will tense all of the muscle groups in the lower part of your body
Keep the muscles tensed for a few seconds as you slowly and deeply inhale, exhale, and then inhale again.
On the second exhale, release the muscles that you had previously tightened. As you release the muscles, visualize all of the tension in these muscles flowing out of your body. These muscles are now very calm. Take your time to notice the calmness now found in your muscles.
Breath deeply for at least two long, slow breaths. Continue to focus on the calm and relaxed feelings now found in your muscles.
Repeat steps 1-4 with different muscle groups. To ensure that you progressively relax all of your muscles, it might be a good idea to relax your muscles from toe to head. Begin with your leg muscles (as described above), and follow your legs with your chest and abdomen (arch your back and tighten your stomach muscles), your arms (straighten your arms and clench your fists), your neck and shoulders (raise your shoulder toward your ears), and finally your face (first tighten the muscles around your mouth and cheeks, and then tighten the muscles in your forehead). At the end of the exercise, all of your muscles should be relaxed and tension free.
Continue to periodically practice progressive muscle relaxation until you can quickly and easily eliminate the tension in your major muscle groups. This practice will facilitate your ability to instantaneously reduce your muscle tension on test day.