Relaxation therapy

Relaxation techniques are used by people who wish to relax, for a wide variety of reasons. Since the 1960s, research has indicated strong correlations between stress levels and physical and emotional health. Meditation was among the first relaxation techniques shown to have a measurable effect on stress reduction. In the 1970s, self-help books teaching relaxation techniques began to appear on bestsellers lists. In 1975, The Relaxation Response by Harvard Medical School professor Herbert Benson, MD and Miriam Z. Klipper was published. Their book has been credited with popularizing meditation in the United States.

Research released in the 1980s indicated stronger ties between stress and health and showed benefits from a wider range of relaxation techniques than had been previously known. This research received national media attention, including a New York Times article in 1986. Public awareness about the health benefits of relaxation techniques grew, and so did the numbers of people who practiced them. Conventional medical philosophy adopted the concept and its early Twenty-first Century practitioners recommend using relaxation techniques to improve patient outcomes in many situations. Relaxation techniques are also a mainstay of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Six out of ten of the most commonly used CAM therapies are relaxation techniques.

Used for
People use relaxation techniques for the following reasons, among others:
 * Anger management
 * Anxiety attacks
 * Cardiac health
 * Depression
 * General well-being
 * Headache
 * High blood pressure
 * Immune system support
 * Insomnia
 * Pain management
 * Stress management

Techniques
Some techniques include:
 * Autogenic training
 * Biofeedback
 * Deep breathing
 * Guided imagery
 * Exercise
 * Hypnotherapy
 * Humor
 * Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation
 * Listening to music
 * Massage
 * Meditation
 * Muscle relaxation
 * Prayer
 * Posthypnotic suggestion
 * Qigong
 * Visualization
 * Yoga