Relaxation response

DEFINITION: A self-induced, peaceful, relaxed mental state attained through various techniques.

• PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USES: Anxiety, coping, pain, mental and physical stress

Overview

Herbert Benson, a graduate of Harvard Medical School and director emeritus at Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, published the book The Relaxation Response in 1975. The book includes data produced from Benson's research at Harvard’s Thorndike Memorial Laboratory and Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Walter B. Cannon, another researcher at Harvard Medical School in the 1920s, had identified the fight-or-flight physical response to stress on the body and mind. Cannon found that perceived and actual life-threatening situations produced a flood of stress hormones to prepare a person to fight (confront the situation) or flee. In such situations, the heart pounds, breathing accelerates, and blood flow to the muscles is increased. This response is a survival mechanism, a natural physical response elicited when a person’s life is endangered.

Frequent situations in daily life, such as traffic jams, waiting in lines, financial difficulties, and family problems, also produce stress-related hormones that, over time, can take a toll on the body. The relaxation response was developed as a mechanism to counteract this hormonal response to stress.

Benson’s therapy was not new, and it was based on the age-old practices and philosophies of Transcendental Meditation (TM). For the relaxation response, these practices are simplified and can be performed by anyone. To elicit the response, Benson offered the following instructions: Find a quiet, peaceful environment for practice; muscles should be consciously relaxed; a word such as “one” or “peace” or a phrase, possibly a prayer, should be repeated silently in the mind; any intrusive thoughts should be observed only and then passively dismissed; and breathing should be slow and deep. Benson advised practicing this technique for ten to twenty minutes each day. The process is quite individualized, however, and no single method works for everyone. Other techniques may be equally effective, such as running, yoga, knitting, dancing, or playing a musical instrument.

By studying the effects of stress on the human body and the various techniques to counteract them, Benson demonstrated the connection between mind and body and how this connection affects health and well-being. His later research included the possible clinical uses of the response in medicine and psychiatry. Benson died of heart and kidney failure in 2022.

Mechanism of Action

The release of fight-or-flight hormones cortisol and adrenaline when a person is no longer threatened is counteracted through natural activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Findings from research conducted at Harvard Medical School in the late 1960s showed that TM could produce profound physiologic changes that were opposite to those produced by stress. Metabolism, blood pressure, heart rate, and rate of breathing could all be decreased. TM and the relaxation response work in essentially the same way and, when practiced, allow the practitioner to counteract stress voluntarily.

Uses and Applications

Methods used to bring about the relaxation response may be practiced at will to counteract stress inherent in daily life, to reduce general stress levels and discomfort, to reduce levels of pain or distress in illness, and to alleviate physical symptoms of stress on the body. Continuing research has broadened possible applications to uses such as reducing stress and improving cognition in healthy aging adults, improving productivity in workers, improving academic performance, and reducing pain in people with chronic conditions such as human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), arthritis, and cancer.

Scientific Evidence

A body of scientific evidence is grounded in research by Benson, his associates, and others. Much of this research has been conducted at Harvard Medical School, Harvard’s Thorndike Memorial Laboratory, and the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine.

The practice of meditation has been shown by magnetic resonance imaging to activate neural structures involved in attention and control of the autonomic nervous system. Measurably lower oxygen consumption, heart rate, respiration, and blood lactate indicate a decrease in activity of the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in a restful, or hypometabolic, state. This is the opposite of the increased activity, or hypermetabolic state, produced by stress.

Double-blind studies have been conducted with varying results. One study tried to determine if combining acupuncture treatments with the relaxation response could improve the quality of life for persons with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Conclusions from the pilot trial confirmed the benefits of combined therapies for some measures of improved quality of life.

Other methods of fostering the body's natural relaxation response include guided imagery, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, and breathing exercises. Meditation can be guided, aided by music, or done in silence, and it can be a group or individual activity. Many mobile applications, meditation devices, videos, podcasts, and other resources are available to help individuals learn meditation techniques. Many beginners struggle to embrace meditation, but over time, it becomes easier, and research shows it can be a powerful resilience builder. Breathing exercises stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps regulate the peripheral nervous system. These include diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing. Progressive muscle relaxation involves systematically tensing and relaxing specific muscle groups to eliminate excess and unnoticed tension in the body. All these techniques help the body begin its natural relaxation response.

Although skepticism remains, research continues to examine potential applications of the relaxation response in medicine and psychiatry, employing improved research tools and methods. For example, numerous mobile applications that support meditation have been developed (Calm, Headspace, and Simple Habit), and various studies have examined the use of virtual reality to induce relaxation.

Choosing a Practitioner

The relaxation response can be self-taught and does not require a practitioner. Classes, meditation groups, and numerous instructional books are available for individuals who wish to learn the technique.

Safety Issues

There are no identified safety issues with the practice of the relaxation response. Benson has warned, however, that if used as a medical treatment, it should be administered only with the knowledge and approval of, and under the supervision of, a qualified physician.

Bibliography

Benson, H., and M. Klipper. The Relaxation Response. Exp. and updated ed., HarperCollins Publishers, 2009.

Benson, Herbert. “The Relaxation Response: Its Subjective and Objective Historical Precedents and Physiology.” Trends in Neurosciences, vol. 6, 1983, pp. 281–84, doi:10.1016/0166-2236(83)90120-0. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

Davis, Martha, et al. The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook. 7th ed., Raincoast Books, 2019.

"Dr. Herbert Benson, Who Saw the Mind as Medicinal, Dies at 86." The New York Times, 18 Feb. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/02/17/health/dr-herbert-benson-dead.html. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

Lazar, S., et al. “Functional Brain Mapping of the Relaxation Response and Meditation.” NeuroReport, vol. 11, no. 7, 2000, pp. 1581–85, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10841380. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

"Relaxation Techniques for Mental Wellness." American Psychiatric Association, 14 Mar. 2024, www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/relaxation-techniques-for-mental-wellness. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

Riches, Simon, et al. "Virtual Reality Relaxation for the General Population: A Systematic Review." Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, vol. 56, 2021, pp. 1707-27, doi:10.1007/s00127-021-02110-z. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

Scott, Elizabeth. "Relaxation Response for Reversing Stress." Verywell Mind, 12 Oct. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-relaxation-response-3145145. Accessed 10 Dec. 2025.

Summary of Herbert Benson, M.D. & Miriam Z. Klipper’s The Relaxation Response. IRB Media, 2022.