Relaxation Training

By Alisa Klatt
What is relaxation training?
Relaxation training is the practice of relaxing. Its to
attain a state of more complete calmness, focus, and
peace in and of ones self.
Its used to help with stress levels, anger, anxiety, and
pain.
It is practiced in almost all areas of mental and
physical health.
This is not to say almost all practitioners use this, simply that
it is found in most areas of health care practice.
Some more questions
Is it evidence-based?
Yes.
Not every mental health condition has been thoroughly
or reliably researched, however.

Is it for everybody?
Almost.
There have been some negative experiences reported.
Some more questions (contd)
Whats the goal?
To produce the body's natural relaxation response,
characterized by slower breathing, lower blood pressure,
and a feeling of increasedwell-being.

Where is it seen in practices?

As mentioned previously, it is seen in health care offices
all across the spectrum. Most commonly, organized
relaxation training is seen in stress management
programs.
Specific populations
All ages.
Studies have been conducted on the effects of
relaxation training on many different health
conditions.
Anxiety
Asthma
Childbirth
Depression
Heart Disease
High blood pressure
Insomnia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Menopause Symptoms
Headaches
Origins
It can be traced back a LONG time, mainly in religious
practices
3,000 years to Indian yogic practices
Writings on meditation in early Christian and Jewish
history/literature
Also in Buddhist cosmology & Vipassana tradition
Medical Introduction
The physiological and psychological effects of relaxation
(and meditation) in medical research was started in the
United States in the 1960s-70s.
Dr. Herbert Benson, while at Harvard Medical School,
investigated the physiological effects of Transcendental
Meditation (TM), which was brought to the U.S. by
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Experiments and observations led Dr. Benson to believe the
hypometabolic changes he observed were not unique to TM
but represented the bringing forth of our bodys natural
protective reaction to too much stress
He coined this as the Relaxation Response
Founders
It is unknown who FIRST started the idea of purposefully relaxing,
but there are several names that founded the utilization of
various relaxation techniques for medical/therapeutic benefit:
Edmund Jacobson, MD
Published Progressive Relaxation in 1929 (technical book
for removing muscular tension)
Herbert Benson, MD
Published The Relaxation Response in 1975 (meditative
techniques fight the epidemic of hypertension, which
included breathing, mindfulness, muscle relaxation,
meditation, etc.)
Made the word and idea of relaxation a common
household buzzword since then
Founders (contd)
Jon Kabat Zinn, Ph.D.
Founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the
University of Massachusetts Medical Center
He introduced Mindfulness Meditation (originating
from Tibetan Buddhist meditative practice) into
medical settings in 1979
German Psychiatrist, Dr. Johannes Heinrich Schultz
Developed the idea of autogenic training in 1932
Many specialists do not encourage this method unless
the patient is willing to perform the given exercises at
least once daily for four to six months.
What makes it unique?
Most techniques can be used with almost all ages, all
groups, all medical practices, and all conditions
Its natural (no external substances)
Whether it offers a cure for the patients condition or
not, relaxation is healthy practice for everyone.
Helps boost memory and brain function/attention
Its good for your heart (blood pressure, cardiac arrest, etc.)
Reduces production of Cortisol (our stress hormone, which
increases appetite and makes us crave junk food/sweets.
Aka stress eating)
Examples
Autogenic training
You learn to concentrate on the physical sensations
of warmth, heaviness, and relaxation in different
parts of yourbody.
Biofeedback-Assisted Relaxation
Biofeedback techniques measure body functions
and give you information about them so that you
can learn to control them.
Deep breathing or breathing exercises
Involves focusing on taking slow, deep,
evenbreaths.
Examples (contd)
Progressive Relaxation
Involves tightening and relaxing various muscle groups (often
combined with guided imagery and breathingexercises).
Self-hypnosis
People are taught to produce the relaxation response when
prompted by a phrase or nonverbal cue (called
asuggestion).
Meditation
Meditationand practices that includemeditationwith
movement, such asyogaandtai chi.
Guided Imagery
People are taught to focus on pleasant images to replace
negative or stressful feelings (may be self-directed or led by a
practitioner or arecording).
Pros and Cons
Pros Cons

Can sometimes cause even

Can be used with all ages and people groups
Versatile, and can be adjusted to meet individuals needs
theres something for everybody
Most are easy to execute
No external substances / Natural!
more anxiety and stress
Feelings of obligation, failure to
succeed, etc.
Can encourage escaping
from problems

Widespread and widely accepted Can be offensive to some

Has an impressively good record of success religions/cultures
Demonstration
Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Script:
http://prtl.uhcl.edu/counseling-services/self-help/visualization-files/txt-
progressive-muscle-relaxation.pdf
Video Clip: The Office
Guided Imagery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2Ebr0IV5dE 23:10
References

Dusek JA, Benson H.Mind-body medicine: a model of the comparative clinical impact of the acute
stress and relaxation responses.Minnesota Medicine.2009;92(5):4750.
Eccleston C, Palermo TM, Williams AC, et al.Psychological therapies for the management of chronic and
recurrent pain in children and adolescents.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2014;
(5):CD003968.

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress/relaxation.htm

Jorm AF, Morgan AJ, Hetrick SE. Relaxation for depression.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
2008;(4):CD007142 [edited 2009]. Accessed at www.thecochranelibrary.com on March 12,2014.

Vickers A, Zollman C, Payne DK.Hypnosis and relaxation therapies.Western Journal of

Medicine.2001;175(4):269272.

Meditation/relaxation: History & philosophy. (July 17, 2012). Center for Health and Healing.
http://www.healthandhealingny.org/complement/meditation_history.asp