Benson Relaxation Method

The following is a relaxation exercise from Dr Herbert Benson, in his book 'The Relaxation Response'. Give it a go, and see if you obtain any of the intended benefits.

Prepare to relax

Make sure you will be warm. Use a blanket or extra clothes if need be.

Sit quietly in a comfortable position.

Close your eyes.

Think about letting go of the tension in all your muscles, beginning at your feet and moving up to your face.

Keep the muscles loose.

Focus on your breathing

Breathe through your nose.

Become aware of your breathing.

As you breathe out, say the word 'one' silently to yourself (or another word, such as 'calm'., 'peace', or 'easy'.)

Breathe easily and naturally.

Don't try too hard

Do not worry about it if you are not good at reaching a deep level of relaxation – let it happen at its own pace.

Deal with distractions

Distracting thoughts will probably occur. Do not dwell on these. Just return to repeating 'one' (or your own word).

If you start to feel a little dizzy or breathless this will be caused by over-breathing because you are feeling anxious about doing it right. Just breathe out when your body naturally wants to and concentrate on saying your word.

If you notice a slight tension in your 'favourite spot' - your jaws, neck or scalp - this will be because you are trying too hard. Just let go - this type of relaxation comes when you are not thinking about it!

Bring your relaxation to an end

After relaxing for 10-20 minutes, begin to bring your relaxation to an end.

You may open your eyes to check the time but do not use an alarm, which will make you tense up again.

When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes, at first with your eyes closed and later with your eyes open. Then stand up slowly.

Practise regularly

With practice the Relaxation Response should come with little effort. Practice once or twice daily but not for two hours after a meal. Digestion seems to interfere with the relaxation response.

It often helps to decide on a regular practice time and stick to it. It is easy to miss your practice if you do it at a different time each day.

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