Book review: "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson

Originally published in 1975, Herbert Bensen’s The Relaxation Response is credited as being the first mainstream text to raise the American and British public’s awareness of the adverse effects of stress on one’s health. Of course, it is now common knowledge that controlled breathing can calm the nerves; and that one’s heart rate and blood pressure may be reduced when one is relaxed. It seems obvious to us that stressful situations raise the heart rate and blood pressure, and can cause rapid, shallow breathing. Back in the 1960s, however, these facts were not so obvious, as explained by Bensen in his “Forward” to the book (later added in 2000).

Nowadays it is a well-known fact among academics that the nervous system may be categorised in two parts: the sympathetic system, which is triggered when one is in a stressful situation and/or starts to breath in a shallow and rapid manner (resulting in the so-called “fight or flight response”); and the parasympathetic system, which may be triggered when one is relaxed and/or breaths deeply (the so-called “rest and digest response”). When the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, the heart-rate and breathing rate speed up; whereas when the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, the heart-rate and breathing rate slow down. A well-balanced nervous system (ie. when there is an appropriate balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems), may be determined by measuring one’s heart rate variability.

It would appear that Bensen’s term “relaxation response” is an early expression of what would later be coined as the “rest and digest response”. The Relaxation Response may be regarded as somewhat dated in various ways. For example, instead of focusing on the fascinating inter-relationship between the nervous system, the circulatory system (ie. heart rate) and the respiratory system (ie. breathing rate), the book merely highlights the link between stress and high blood pressure (which can lead to a heart attack or a stroke). And some of the book’s commentary is actually out-of-date. Modern-day experts would disagree, for example, with Bensen’s assertions in 1975 that margarine is healthier than butter, and that egg yolks should be avoided due to their cholesterol content. It is interesting, however, to read the book as a snap-shot of what was new and revolutionary in 1975.

Chapter 4 is interesting in its brief analysis of different ways of evoking the “relaxation response”. In addition to transcendental meditation and yoga, Bensen cites a number of practices devised by contemporary physicians and neurologists: “autogenic training” (ie. six specific mental exercises); “progressive relaxation” (ie. muscular relaxation); hypnosis with “Suggested Deep Relaxation”; and “Sentic Cycles” (ie. self-induced emotional experiences).

Chapter 5 focuses on the different ways in which meditation has been practised and written about throughout history and throughout the world, both practically (for example, through repetitive prayers and rhythmic breathing), and intellectually (through philosophy). Bensen cites examples of meditation in European pagan mysticism; the writings of Catholic saints and monks and other Christians such as Martin Luther; Judaism; Buddhism; Sufism; Taoism; eighteenth century English Romanticism; etc. He does not go into very much detail about any of the above, but we’re presented with interesting food for thought.

The part of the book which I actually found the most interesting was the “Forward” which was later added in 2000, where Bensen discusses his career and personal experiences from the 1960s onwards. He briefly discusses his initial observations that meditation reduces blood pressure, and how this piqued his curiosity sufficiently to initiate in-depth study; how for a long time contemporary academics were reluctant to pay any attention to him or his theories; his own refusal to allow his theories to be associated with alternative medicine, firmly asserting it as “complementary” as opposed to “alternative”; and how women seemed more receptive to his ideas than men. He states, “I believe that as more of my female colleagues assume leadership within academic medicine, they will usher the principles of self-care into the next millennium”.

I would definitely recommend The Relaxation Response as an introduction to what has since developed into a very relevant and mainstream subject: The health-benefits of stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

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