Female Speaker: The daily grind, it causes stress in all of us. Stress that can lead to emotional, even physical health problems.
Dr. Herbert Benson: Stress evokes what's called a fight or flight response preparing us to run, preparing us to fight.
Female Speaker: But there may be a way to fight the harmful effects of stress. It's called the Relaxation Response, developed by Dr. Herbert Benson, it draws on the traditions of eastern meditation.
Dr. Herbert Benson: One gets up in the morning, sits for 10-20 minutes keeping their eyes closed and relaxes their muscles.
Female Speaker: Once you're relaxed, breathe slowly and deeply. On each breath out repeat a chosen phrase or word such as peace, love, or calm over-and-over again.
Dr. Herbert Benson: After doing that for 10-15 minutes, one should first sit quietly for about a minute keeping their eyes closed.
Female Speaker: It's normal for extraneous thoughts to intrude during the meditation. Just let them pass and return to the exercise. Though the evidence is still coming in, the relaxation response practice daily may help with problems such as high blood pressure, headaches, and anxiety, and give you a greater feeling of control of your health and well-being.
Dr. Herbert Benson: When you evoke the Relaxation Response regularly there are actual changes in your brain, in your body which do not do away with stress, but what it does is allow us to deal with a stress better.
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