Key takeaways
- It is the body's opposite of fight-or-flight: slower breathing, lower oxygen use and a calmer nervous system.
- Many traditions bring it on with the same two ingredients: a repeated focus and a passive return to it when the mind wanders.
- Evidence is strongest for anxiety, depression and pain, and modest elsewhere. It is a complement to medical care, not a replacement.
What it is
The relaxation response is a set of measurable changes in the body that occur during deep rest. Benson and his colleagues described it as the counterpart of the stress response, the automatic reaction that readies the body to fight or flee.[1] (source 1)
The two reactions are not opposed in a moral sense. Stress is useful in an emergency. The problem arises when it is triggered again and again with no recovery, which research has linked to higher risk of heart disease and other illness.[2] (source 2)[3] (source 3)
Where the idea came from
In the late 1960s, practitioners of Transcendental Meditation asked Benson to study their physiology. With Robert Keith Wallace he found that meditation lowered oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide output, a pattern different from sleep.[4] (source 4) Benson later argued that the same state could be reached by many techniques, and he published the idea for general readers in 1975.[5] (source 5)
What happens in the body
| Measure | Stress response | Relaxation response |
|---|---|---|
| Heart rate | Rises | Falls |
| Breathing rate | Rises | Falls |
| Oxygen consumption | Rises | Falls |
| Carbon dioxide output | Rises | Falls |
What the research shows
A large 2014 review of 47 trials of meditation programs found moderate evidence that they ease anxiety, depression and pain, and low evidence for stress and quality of life. It found no evidence that they beat active treatments such as medication, exercise or other behavioral therapy.[6] (source 6)
For heart health, an American Heart Association statement concluded that meditation may be a reasonable addition to standard cardiovascular risk reduction, not a substitute for it.[7] (source 7) Laboratory work has also found changes in gene activity among long-term practitioners, though these studies are small.[8] (source 8)
Ways to bring it on
- A two-step technique built on a repeated word or phrase
- Meditation, prayer, yoga and other practices that share the same ingredients
- Mini relaxations, one-minute breathing exercises for busy moments
Common questions
Is the relaxation response the same as relaxing?
Not exactly. Watching television can feel relaxing without producing the physical changes seen in the relaxation response. The response needs a focus and a passive attitude toward distracting thoughts.
Does it cure anything?
No. Research supports it as a way to reduce symptoms such as anxiety and pain and to support other treatment. It should not replace care from a clinician.
Who developed it?
Herbert Benson, MD, a cardiologist at Harvard Medical School, with colleagues, beginning in the late 1960s. Its history is recorded in our archive of the Mind/Body Medical Institute.
Sources
- Benson H, Beary JF, Carol MP. The relaxation response. Psychiatry. 1974;37(1):37–46. doi:10.1080/00332747.1974.11023785
- McEwen BS. Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. N Engl J Med. 1998;338(3):171–179. doi:10.1056/nejm199801153380307
- Steptoe A, Kivimäki M. Stress and cardiovascular disease. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2012;9(6):360–370. doi:10.1038/nrcardio.2012.45
- Wallace RK, Benson H, Wilson AF. A wakeful hypometabolic physiologic state. Am J Physiol. 1971;221(3):795–799. doi:10.1152/ajplegacy.1971.221.3.795
- Benson H, Klipper MZ. The Relaxation Response. New York: William Morrow; 1975.
- Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EMS, et al. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(3):357–368. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018
- Levine GN, Lange RA, Bairey-Merz CN, et al. Meditation and cardiovascular risk reduction: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017;6(10):e002218. doi:10.1161/jaha.117.002218
- Bhasin MK, Dusek JA, Chang BH, et al. Relaxation response induces temporal transcriptome changes in energy metabolism, insulin secretion and inflammatory pathways. PLoS One. 2013;8(5):e62817. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062817