Herbert Benson, director of the Benson-Henry Institute at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital, developed Relaxation Response, or RR. The practice was popularized in his 1975 book, The Relaxation Response. The benefits of Relaxation Response include:
- Deep relaxation
- Decreased oxygen consumption
- Relaxed muscles
- Slower breathing and heart rate
- Increased nitric oxide levels
- Lower blood pressure
- Genomic changes associated with energy (mitochondrial) metabolism, inflammation, insulin secretion and telomere maintenance
- Reduced addictive cravings, anxiety, chronic pain, depression, insomnia and stress.
Ohio State Integrative Health offers the following free relaxation recordings, recorded by an advanced practitioner and behavioral health specialist:
In a hurry? This 5 minute guided practice will give you a quick taste of the proven benefits of the Relaxation Response.
(To download this MP3 file, right click the MP3 icon button and select "Save Link As.")
This guided practice will help you move more fully into the proven benefits of practicing the Relaxation Response. If all you have is 10 minutes twice a day, this is a great way to help improve your effectiveness and build resilience.
(To download this MP3 file, right click the MP3 icon button and select "Save Link As.")
Optimal outcomes are associated with regular practice of 20 minutes daily. You can get it all in one simple session, boosting your resilience, enhancing mental clarity, and building emotional intelligence, all while decreasing inflammation, pain, and stress.
(To download this MP3 file, right click the MP3 icon button and select "Save Link As.")