The relaxation response turned 50, and its most-quoted numbers need fine print

Key takeaways

• Herbert Benson’s method has two parts: repeat a word, sound, phrase or prayer, and when other thoughts show up, let them go and return to the repetition¹².
• In a 2008 trial of adults 55 and older, 32% of those who learned the relaxation response kept their systolic pressure down after dropping a blood pressure medicine, compared with 14% of a lifestyle-counseling group⁷.
• The often-quoted 43% drop in health care use came from hospital records of one program, studied by the institute that runs it, not from a randomized trial¹⁰¹¹¹².
• A 1984 review, later disputed, found that in head-to-head tests, meditators’ bodies were no calmer than those of people who simply rested⁵⁶.
• Never cut a blood pressure medicine on your own; in the 2008 trial, any reduction followed a set study plan with weekly physician checks⁴⁷.

In the 1960s, Herbert Benson, then a young cardiologist at Harvard, puzzled over a pattern. Some patients’ blood pressure ran higher at the doctor’s office than at home¹.

Benson suspected that nerves, and stress more broadly, were pushing the numbers up¹. Around then, followers of Transcendental Meditation (TM) claimed they could control their bodies’ inner workings through meditation. Benson reluctantly agreed to test some of them².

He kept his regular cardiology work by day and studied the meditators at night, a “double life,” as he called it². He later worked in the same lab where Walter Cannon had described the fight-or-flight response¹.

Benson named what he measured the “relaxation response.” With two colleagues, he described it under that title in the journal Psychiatry in February 1974¹⁵. His 1975 book by the same name became a best-seller and has sold millions of copies¹².

Half a century later, the core idea holds up well: your body has a calming system you can switch on for free. Some of the numbers attached to it need a closer look. Below, we look at what the research shows, and a menu of six ways to practice.

Benson borrowed from meditation and built a method for any belief

TM, whose followers learned from a teacher known as the Maharishi, gave Benson his first subjects². He found that their meditation lowered heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure².

Benson came to think that many forms of meditation could produce these changes². So he built a simple, secular method that didn’t depend on any one tradition².

The method takes a minute to learn. First, choose a focus that suits your beliefs: a word, a short phrase or a prayer¹². Get comfortable, let your body go loose, shut your eyes and slow your breathing.

On each exhale, silently say your focus word. Stray thoughts will come; treat them lightly and steer back. Benson’s suggested dose was 10 to 20 minutes daily¹.

Benson liked a two-word reply to a wandering mind: “Oh, well”². That attitude is the heart of the method. You don’t fight distraction; you shrug and return.

“I came to this not by belief, but from science,” Benson said¹. Yet his son said his father also believed that belief itself could heal, and the method makes room for a prayer¹. Benson died in February 2022, at 86¹².

A disclosure about sources: Benson’s institute at Massachusetts General Hospital took its current name in 2006 with funding from John Henry, who also owns The Boston Globe, which published the obituary cited here¹.

Your body’s brake pedal, and a surprising test against plain rest

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the NIH, calls the relaxation response a built-in reset for stress³. It slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure and reduces how much oxygen you use and how much stress hormone you make³.

Many techniques aim for it. NCCIH lists progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, guided imagery, biofeedback, self-hypnosis and slow breathing⁴. Each is a different door into the same room.

This is the surprise. In 1984, psychologist David Holmes of the University of Kansas reviewed experiments that compared people meditating with people simply resting⁵. He set aside weaker studies in which people served as their own comparison.

Heart rate was the most-studied measure, and meditators beat resters in none of the 16 experiments that tracked it⁵. Breathing, skin sweat, blood pressure and oxygen use told much the same story, with only an occasional study favoring meditation⁵. His verdict: the research so far offered no evidence that meditation calms the body more than simple rest⁵.

A paper in the same journal the next year challenged that conclusion and said more research was needed⁶. Whoever is right, the debate points to a practical idea. Stopping, sitting quietly and letting thoughts pass may do much of the work.

That’s good news if you’ve struggled with a formal method. You may not need the “right” one.

Blood pressure: one trial helped older adults drop a pill

The best-known test came from Benson’s institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. Researcher Jeffery Dusek led the trial, published in March 2008 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine⁷.

It enrolled more than 100 adults age 55 and older whose systolic pressure, the top number, stayed high despite two or more medicines⁷. They were assigned by chance to one of two groups. The doctor who checked them each week didn’t know which group they were in, and participants were told only that the study compared stress-management programs⁷.

Both groups got weekly counseling on heart risks, stress, diet and fitness, plus daily audio recordings⁷. One group’s recordings and lessons taught them to bring on the relaxation response⁷.

After eight weeks, anyone whose pressure was below 140/90 could start reducing one medicine⁷. If blood pressure climbed again, they went back to their old dose⁷.

Both groups’ systolic pressure fell⁷. But by the study’s end, 32% of the relaxation group kept their systolic pressure down after stopping at least one medicine, compared with 14% of the counseling group⁷.

That’s an encouraging result from one trial of modest size. A 2021 article from Massachusetts General Hospital quoted its hypertension chief, Randall Zusman, who said the practice is unlikely to work unless done about 20 minutes a day⁸. He called it a useful add-on to other strategies⁸.

The heart association graded it cautiously

In 2013, an American Heart Association (AHA) panel graded drug-free, diet-free ways to lower blood pressure⁹. It gave TM a cautious class IIb rating, with level B evidence⁹.

“Other relaxation therapies” got class III, the panel’s lowest grade⁹. Overall, the panel called the evidence for behavioral approaches modest, mixed or inconsistent⁹. It added that adults with blood pressure above 120/80 could reasonably try such approaches alongside proven care⁹.

The 43% drop in health care use came from records, not a trial

In 2015, Massachusetts General Hospital researchers led by James Stahl studied the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program, called 3RP¹⁰¹¹. The eight-week course combines relaxation practices such as meditation, deep breathing and prayer with social support, thinking skills and positive psychology¹¹¹².

The team pulled hospital network records for 4,452 people who took the course from 2006 to 2014 and 13,149 comparison patients¹⁰. In the year after the course, participants’ billable encounters, such as visits, scans and lab tests, fell 43%, from 53.5 to 30.5 a year¹⁰. Emergency department visits dropped from 3.6 to 1.7 a year¹⁰.

Three cautions apply. First, this was an observational study, which looks back at records instead of assigning people at random¹⁰¹². People who sign up for an eight-week course may differ from those who don’t, and Stahl acknowledged that no one can be sure every difference was accounted for¹².

Second, when the team compared participants with patients whose earlier use closely matched theirs, the drop shrank to about 18% to 25%, depending on how care was counted¹⁰¹¹. Third, fewer visits aren’t automatically good, since some people may skip care they need¹².

There’s also an independence point readers should know. The institute that runs 3RP conducted the study, and Benson was a co-author¹⁰¹¹. Stahl said the results need to be confirmed by a prospective study, one that follows people forward under a set plan¹¹.

Gene studies are intriguing, small and early

In 2013, a team including Manoj Bhasin and Benson looked at gene activity in blood cells¹³. They studied 26 newcomers before and after eight weeks of training, plus 26 people who had practiced for 4 to 20 years¹³.

After a single 20-minute session, genes tied to energy use and insulin release became more active¹³. Genes tied to inflammation and stress pathways became less active, and long-time practitioners showed bigger shifts¹³.

The authors called the findings preliminary and said other tests must confirm them¹³. Federal grants from the CDC and the NIH paid for the study, and the authors reported no competing interests¹³. A 2018 follow-up from the same group linked gene patterns to who responded with lower blood pressure⁸.

Changes in gene activity are a clue to how the response might work. They don’t show that it prevents disease.

A relaxation response menu: six ways in, 10 minutes each

These plans are our own, built on Benson’s two steps: repeat something, and let distractions go¹². Harvard Health Publishing notes that rhythmic breathing, mindfulness meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong and prayer can all bring on the response¹². A Massachusetts General Hospital article adds running and knitting⁸.

Pick one that suits you. Sit or move somewhere you won’t be interrupted, and silence your phone.

1. A word on the out-breath. Choose a word such as “calm,” “one” or a sacred name. Spend one minute settling, eight minutes saying it silently each time you breathe out, and one minute sitting quietly before you get up.

2. Breath counting. Count each out-breath from one to four, then start over. If you lose count, say “oh, well” and begin again at one. Keep going for nine minutes, then rest for one.

3. Repetitive prayer. Use a short prayer or sacred phrase from your own tradition, timed to your breath or to prayer beads. Repeat it for nine minutes. Let your last minute be silent.

4. A rhythmic walk. Walk at an easy pace and match a word or count to your steps, such as “in, in, out, out.” When your mind wanders, return to your feet. Ten minutes outdoors works well.

5. Slow, repeated movement. Raise your arms on the in-breath and lower them on the out-breath, or repeat one gentle yoga, tai chi or qigong move. Keep the motion slow and the same each time.

6. Repetitive handwork. Knit, crochet or do another simple, rhythmic task you know well. Let the stitch count be your repetition, and return to it when thoughts drift.

These practices suit what many natural-health readers value. They cost nothing, need no product or subscription, and fit any faith or none. Benson’s own method grew out of studying a meditation tradition, and it still makes room for prayer¹².

How it compares with mindfulness, muscle relaxation and floating

Think of the relaxation response as the destination and techniques as routes. Progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery and slow breathing all aim for it⁴. Our article on relaxation before bed rates those methods for sleep.

Mindfulness has a different aim: noticing the present moment without judging it. Our article on meditation for sleep covers how mindfulness compares with insomnia treatment.

A float tank cuts down light and sound, and family rituals can steady nerves through repetition. Separate articles weigh the evidence for each.

What the evidence says, rated

Claim	What studies found	Evidence level
Helps lower blood pressure alongside medicine	One trial in older adults; a 2018 review gave only a weak recommendation; AHA’s 2013 grade for relaxation therapies was its lowest479	Promising but early
Lets some people drop a blood pressure pill	32% vs. 14% in one 2008 trial, under a set study plan7	Promising but early
TM for blood pressure	AHA 2013: a cautious class IIb rating9	Promising but early
Cuts health care use by 43%	One observational study of one program, run by its own institute101112	Promising but early
Its gene-activity changes protect health	Small studies; authors call results preliminary13	Not enough evidence
Relaxation therapy for anxiety disorders	Reviews show benefit, with high risk of bias; less than CBT for PTSD and OCD4	Promising but early
Meditation calms the body more than plain rest	Small head-to-head tests reviewed in 1984 found no consistent edge for meditation; a 1985 paper disputed that conclusion56	Not enough evidence

Who should go slowly, and when to get help

For most healthy people, relaxation practices are safe, NCCIH says⁴. But some people feel more anxious, have intrusive thoughts or fear losing control⁴. In rare reports, certain techniques worsened symptoms in people with epilepsy, some psychiatric conditions, or a history of abuse or trauma⁴.

If that describes you, our suggestion is to try a moving option with your eyes open and keep sessions short. NCCIH advises telling your health care providers about any complementary approach you use⁴.

If you take blood pressure medicine, keep following your prescribed treatment plan and talk with your clinician before changing anything⁴. In the 2008 trial, reductions followed a set study plan with weekly physician checks, and people went back to their old dose if pressure rose⁷.

Relaxation doesn’t replace mental health care. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) says to seek professional help if, for two weeks or more, you feel sad, hopeless or worthless, lose interest in things you enjoy, struggle to concentrate or get tasks done, or notice changes in sleep, appetite or weight¹⁴. If self-care practices don’t help, or symptoms get worse, talk with a provider¹⁴.

If you have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, any time¹⁴. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911¹⁴.

Questions readers ask

The bottom line

The relaxation response is real, free and open to anyone. Repeating a word, a prayer or a movement while letting thoughts drift can calm your body, and plain quiet rest may do much of the same. One trial suggests it can help some older adults lower their blood pressure enough to drop a pill.

The bigger claims deserve fine print. The 43% drop in health care use came from records of one program studied by its own institute, and the gene findings are early. Pick one method from the menu, log it for two weeks, and keep your clinician in the loop if you take blood pressure medicine.

Related reading

• The viral “military sleep method” hasn’t been tested in trials, unlike older relaxation methods
• Mindfulness beat sleep-hygiene classes in a trial, but CBT-I still leads for insomnia
• Float tanks eased anxiety in short studies, so ask how the water is cleaned
• Rituals can steady nerves and honor a loss, but the science is young
• Guided imagery eases fear before surgery, but no good study shows it shrinks tumors

Sources

1. Marquard B. “Dr. Herbert Benson, who documented and promoted meditation’s health benefits, dies at 86.” Boston Globe, February 2022. bostonglobe.com
2. Tricycle. “Dr. Herbert Benson, Who Brought Meditation to the Medical Mainstream, Dies at 86.” Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, February 24, 2022. tricycle.org
3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Stress.” NIH, updated April 2022. nccih.nih.gov
4. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know.” NIH, updated June 2021. nccih.nih.gov
5. Holmes DS. “Meditation and somatic arousal reduction: A review of the experimental evidence.” American Psychologist, 1984;39(1):1-10 (Appalachian State University copy). appstate.edu
6. West M. “Meditation and somatic arousal reduction.” American Psychologist, 1985;40(6):717-719 (Lancaster University record). eprints.lancs.ac.uk
7. HospiMedica. “Relaxation Training May Improve Control of Systolic Hypertension” (on Dusek JA, et al., Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, March 2008). April 8, 2008. hospimedica.com
8. Massachusetts General Hospital. “Proving Efficacy of Two Non-Drug Therapies for Hypertension” (Advances in Motion; contributor Randall Zusman, MD). February 19, 2021. advances.massgeneral.org
9. Brook RD, Appel LJ, Rubenfire M, et al. “Beyond Medications and Diet: Alternative Approaches to Lowering Blood Pressure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.” Hypertension, 2013 (abstract, Qigong Institute research database; PMID 23608661). qigonginstitute.org
10. Stahl JE, Dossett ML, LaJoie AS, et al. “Relaxation Response and Resiliency Training and Its Effect on Healthcare Resource Utilization.” PLOS ONE, 2015;10(10):e0140212 (abstract, Qigong Institute research database). qigonginstitute.org
11. McGreevey S. “Relaxation response proves positive” (Massachusetts General Hospital Public Affairs, on Stahl et al., 2015). Harvard Gazette, October 13, 2015. news.harvard.edu
12. Harvard Health Publishing. “Stress-busting mind-body medicine reduces need for health care.” Harvard Medical School, October 16, 2015. health.harvard.edu
13. 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 (Harvard DASH repository copy). dash.harvard.edu
14. National Institute of Mental Health. “My Mental Health: Do I Need Help?” NIH, revised 2025. nimh.nih.gov
15. Benson H, Beary JF, Carol MP. “The Relaxation Response.” Psychiatry, 1974;37(1):37–46 (bibliographic record, Qigong Institute research database; PMID 27764631). qigonginstitute.org