Relaxation Therapy: How to Activate the Body’s Relaxation Response

A Practical Guide to Stress Regulation, Relaxed Readiness, and Whole-Person Recovery

By David S. Park, DAcCHM, PhD, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.

Originally Published: December 25, 2023
Updated: December 28, 2023 & September 1, 2026

Relaxation Is Not Doing Nothing

Many people think relaxation means lying down, watching television, taking a vacation, or simply stopping activity.

Those things may sometimes feel relaxing.

But true relaxation is more than inactivity.

A person can be lying in bed while the mind is racing.

The shoulders may remain tense.

The jaw may remain clenched.

Breathing may remain shallow.

The heart may still feel as though something urgent is happening.

The body can be still while the nervous system remains highly activated.

For this reason, Relaxation Therapy is not simply about resting.

It is about learning how to reduce unnecessary physical and mental tension and support a more balanced state of regulation.

Within Scalar Nature Medicine, I describe an important goal as:

Relaxed Readiness.

Relaxation should not make us weak.

It should help us become calm without losing awareness, posture, responsiveness, or functional capacity.

What Is the Relaxation Response?

The body has systems that help us mobilize for challenge and systems that help us recover.

When danger, pressure, exercise, or intense demand occurs, the body can increase alertness, muscular activation, cardiovascular activity, and attention.

That response is useful.

The problem begins when activation continues long after the challenge has ended.

The term relaxation response is often used to describe a physiological state associated with reduced arousal and a shift away from persistent stress activation.

Relaxation practices may influence breathing, muscle tension, perceived stress, attention, and autonomic regulation.

The objective is not to eliminate the body’s stress response.

We need that system.

The objective is to improve our ability to move appropriately between:

activation and recovery,

effort and release,

focus and restoration.

Why Modern Humans Need Deliberate Relaxation

Modern stress is different from many of the physical threats faced by earlier humans.

A difficult email can trigger stress.

Traffic can trigger stress.

Financial uncertainty can trigger stress.

Work deadlines can trigger stress.

Arguments can trigger stress.

Social media can trigger stress.

Even thinking about something that happened yesterday can reactivate an emotional response today.

The body may therefore repeatedly receive a message:

Something requires immediate attention.

The problem is not that the stress system activates.

The problem is that many people have forgotten how to turn unnecessary activation down.

Relaxation Therapy helps retrain that transition.

The First Principle: Remove Unnecessary Tension

Not all tension is bad.

Muscles must contract to stand.

To walk.

To lift.

To run.

To protect a joint.

To maintain posture.

The goal is therefore not complete muscular softness.

The question is:

How much tension is actually necessary right now?

While reading this sentence, notice your jaw.

Do the teeth need to be pressed together?

Notice your shoulders.

Do they need to be elevated?

Notice your hands.

Are you gripping something unnecessarily?

Notice your abdomen.

Are you holding it rigidly?

Notice your breathing.

Are you unconsciously holding your breath?

This simple observation can become the beginning of relaxation practice.

1. Comfortable Breathing

Breathing is one of the easiest ways to become aware of tension.

You do not need to force extremely deep breaths.

In fact, excessive breathing can cause light-headedness or discomfort in some people.

Begin instead with comfortable breathing.

Sit or stand in a stable position.

Allow the shoulders to soften.

Notice the inhalation.

Notice the exhalation.

If comfortable, allow the exhalation to become slightly slower and easier.

Do not strain.

Do not compete with yourself.

The goal is not maximum lung volume.

The goal is comfortable regulation.

A Simple 1-Minute Breathing Reset

For approximately one minute:

Notice the inhale.

Notice the exhale.

Release the jaw.

Drop unnecessary shoulder tension.

Allow the abdomen to move naturally.

Do not force breath retention.

At the end, simply observe:

Do I feel even 5% less tense?

Relaxation does not always need to be dramatic.

Small shifts repeated many times can matter.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive Muscle Relaxation, often called PMR, is a structured method of intentionally tightening and then releasing muscle groups.

The contrast between contraction and release can help people recognize tension they did not previously notice.

A simple version may involve:

Hands.

Arms.

Shoulders.

Face.

Abdomen.

Legs.

Feet.

Gently contract one region for several seconds.

Then release.

Notice the difference.

Avoid excessive contraction, especially in painful, injured, recently operated, or medically vulnerable areas.

The lesson is not simply “tense and relax.”

The deeper lesson is:

Learn what unnecessary tension feels like.

3. Body Scan Relaxation

A body scan uses attention rather than strong muscular contraction.

Bring awareness gradually through the body.

Forehead.

Eyes.

Jaw.

Tongue.

Neck.

Shoulders.

Chest.

Abdomen.

Hands.

Pelvis.

Thighs.

Calves.

Feet.

At each area ask:

What am I feeling here?

Is there tension?

Can I reduce unnecessary effort without forcing relaxation?

This is particularly useful for people who carry tension without realizing it.

4. Guided Imagery

The brain responds not only to what is physically present but also to mental imagery.

Guided imagery may use peaceful sensory scenes such as:

a quiet forest,

a beach,

gentle water,

warm sunlight,

mountains,

or another personally meaningful place.

The objective is not to pretend that problems do not exist.

Rather, imagery provides the nervous system with a different attentional environment.

For some people, visual imagery is vivid.

For others, sound, body sensation, or verbal suggestion works better.

There is no need to force a specific experience.

5. Mindfulness and Just Seeing

Relaxation does not always require actively changing experience.

Sometimes the first step is simply seeing it.

Notice:

“There is tension.”

“There is worry.”

“My shoulders are tight.”

“My breathing is fast.”

“My mind is planning.”

This is closely related to Just Seeing Meditation.

Instead of immediately fighting the sensation, observe it clearly.

Awareness can reduce the secondary struggle created by thoughts such as:

“I should not feel this.”

“I must relax immediately.”

“Why can’t I calm down?”

Trying too hard to relax can itself become another form of tension.

6. Qigong and Relaxation Through Movement

Some people relax more effectively through movement than through sitting.

Gentle Qigong-inspired movement can combine:

slow movement,

breathing,

posture,

body awareness,

coordination,

and attention.

Within Scalar Nature Medicine and Scalar Do Hyun Gong, movement is used not only for physical conditioning but also for developing the ability to remain relaxed while moving.

This is important because real life does not occur only while sitting quietly.

We need relaxation during:

walking,

working,

speaking,

exercising,

driving,

decision-making,

and challenging situations.

Relaxed Readiness

One of the central principles of Scalar Do Hyun Gong is Relaxed Readiness.

Imagine two extremes.

One person is rigid, tense, and overactivated.

Another is so relaxed that posture collapses and responsiveness disappears.

Neither state is ideal.

Relaxed Readiness means:

the body is not unnecessarily tense,

but posture remains alive;

the mind is calm,

but awareness remains clear;

movement is soft,

but strength remains available;

breathing is natural,

but the person is ready to respond.

This principle is relevant not only to Qigong or martial arts.

It can be applied to everyday life.

7. Walking Relaxation

Walking can become relaxation therapy.

Do not deliberately make every step unnaturally slow.

Walk comfortably.

Feel the feet.

Notice arm swing.

Allow the shoulders to soften.

Notice the environment.

Let the eyes look into the distance.

Avoid unnecessary phone use for several minutes.

Walking combines physical movement with sensory change.

For many people, this is easier than sitting meditation.

8. Sound and Vibration

Sound can influence attention, breathing, mood, and subjective relaxation.

This may include:

quiet music,

natural sounds,

humming,

chanting,

or gentle vocalization.

Humming also creates a physical sensation of vibration in the face, throat, and chest.

The purpose is not to claim that one frequency cures disease.

Rather, sound can become an accessible sensory tool for changing attention and supporting relaxation.

9. Water and Hydrotherapy

Warm water may help many people experience muscular comfort and relaxation.

A warm shower or bath can become a transition ritual between daytime activity and evening recovery.

Temperature should always be comfortable and safe.

People with cardiovascular disease, impaired sensation, neuropathy, unstable blood pressure, pregnancy, or other relevant medical conditions may require additional caution with very hot or cold exposure.

More intense temperature therapy is not automatically better.

10. Nature-Based Relaxation

Natural environments can provide a different sensory experience from crowded indoor environments and continuous screen exposure.

A short walk in a park may combine:

movement,

daylight,

fresh air,

visual distance,

natural sounds,

and temporary relief from digital stimulation.

You do not need to travel to a remote forest.

Even a neighborhood park, garden, waterfront, or quiet outdoor area may provide a useful change of environment.

11. Acupuncture and Acupressure

Some people use acupuncture or acupressure as part of an integrative strategy for stress-related symptoms, pain, or relaxation.

Clinical evidence varies depending on the condition being treated.

Acupuncture should be performed by appropriately qualified practitioners using safe techniques.

It should not be described as a universal treatment for stress or disease.

Within a whole-person plan, however, it may be one supportive option for selected individuals.

12. Relaxation Before Sleep

Trying to force sleep often makes sleep more difficult.

The command:

“I must sleep now.”

can create performance anxiety around sleep.

Instead, create a gradual transition.

Reduce unnecessary bright light.

Reduce stimulating content.

Allow the body to cool appropriately.

Release muscular tension.

Use comfortable breathing.

Avoid repeatedly checking the clock.

A useful nighttime goal is not:

“Make myself sleep.”

It is:

Create conditions in which sleep is more likely to occur naturally.

Persistent insomnia, severe snoring, witnessed apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness, or other significant sleep problems deserve appropriate evaluation.

The 10-Minute Relaxation Therapy Practice

Minute 0–2: Arrive

Sit or lie comfortably.

Notice your current state.

Do not judge it.

Minute 2–4: Breathing

Observe several comfortable breaths.

Allow unnecessary shoulder effort to soften.

Minute 4–6: Body Scan

Scan:

face,

jaw,

neck,

shoulders,

chest,

abdomen,

hands,

legs,

feet.

Reduce unnecessary tension.

Minute 6–8: Open Awareness

Notice sound.

Breathing.

Body.

Thought.

Emotion.

Let them be present without chasing each experience.

Minute 8–10: Return to Readiness

Move fingers.

Move feet.

Sit or stand upright.

Notice posture.

Carry the calmer state into the next activity.

The practice does not end when you stand up.

The 60-Second Reset

When time is limited, use this short method.

10 seconds: Notice the jaw and shoulders.

20 seconds: Observe breathing.

20 seconds: Release unnecessary tension in the body.

10 seconds: Ask:

“What does this moment actually require?”

Then continue.

This can be practiced before:

a difficult conversation,

a meeting,

driving,

exercise,

public speaking,

sleep,

or an important decision.

Relaxation During Exercise

Many people use more muscular effort than their activity requires.

During exercise, periodically ask:

Can the face stay softer?

Can the hands stay relaxed?

Can the shoulders remain lower?

Can breathing remain coordinated?

Can I maintain good posture without rigidity?

This principle is particularly useful for endurance exercise and movement training.

Relaxation does not mean reducing all effort.

It means removing wasted effort.

Relaxation During Emotional Stress

Strong emotion often produces physical changes.

Anger may tighten the jaw and fists.

Fear may alter breathing.

Anxiety may increase muscular tension.

Sadness may alter posture.

Instead of dealing only with thoughts, notice the body.

Sometimes emotional regulation begins with a physical intervention:

release the hands,

lower the shoulders,

walk,

breathe comfortably,

change environment,

or sit quietly for several minutes.

Mind and body influence each other continuously.

Relaxation Is a Skill

Many people assume that relaxation should happen automatically.

But after years of chronic tension, high workload, poor sleep, continuous digital stimulation, or persistent stress, relaxation may require practice.

It is similar to learning another skill.

First, you notice tension.

Then you learn how to reduce it.

Then you practice during simple situations.

Eventually you practice while life is more demanding.

The ultimate goal is not to require perfect silence, perfect weather, and a perfect room before you can relax.

The goal is to develop portable regulation.

Common Mistakes

Trying Too Hard

“I must relax.”

This thought can create more tension.

Allow relaxation rather than forcing it.

Forcing Deep Breathing

More breathing is not always better.

Excessive ventilation may cause dizziness or discomfort.

Use comfortable breathing.

Believing Relaxation Means Weakness

Useful relaxation does not remove functional strength.

It removes unnecessary effort.

Using Relaxation to Avoid Problems

Relaxation should improve our ability to face reality.

It should not become a way of indefinitely avoiding necessary decisions or treatment.

Expecting One Session to Fix Everything

The nervous system learns through repetition.

Five minutes every day may be more useful than one hour once a month.

When Relaxation Practices May Need Modification

Relaxation techniques are generally low risk for many people, but they are not appropriate in exactly the same way for everyone.

Some individuals may feel uncomfortable when focusing intensely on breathing or internal sensations.

People with trauma histories may sometimes find closing the eyes or prolonged body scanning distressing.

Breath-holding or aggressive breathing techniques may be inappropriate for certain cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, or other medical conditions.

If a practice significantly increases anxiety, dizziness, breathlessness, pain, dissociation, or psychological distress, stop or modify it and obtain appropriate professional guidance when needed.

Relaxation and Healthy Aging

Relaxation has particular importance as we age.

Healthy aging is not merely the absence of disease.

It also involves maintaining:

mobility,

sleep quality,

cognitive function,

emotional flexibility,

physical recovery,

social engagement,

and the ability to adapt.

Continuous stress without sufficient recovery can interfere with many aspects of well-being.

Relaxation therefore belongs within a larger healthy-aging program that also includes:

movement,

strength,

balance,

cardiovascular activity,

nutrition,

sleep,

medical care,

cognitive engagement,

and social connection.

Relaxation and Scalar Nature Medicine

Scalar Nature Medicine approaches relaxation as part of a larger whole-person system.

Relaxation interacts with:

breathing,

movement,

meditation,

emotion,

sleep,

brain function,

East Asian medicine,

Qigong,

rejuvenation,

healthy aging,

and life cultivation.

The objective is not simply to feel calm for several minutes.

The larger objective is to develop the ability to regulate ourselves more effectively throughout life.

From Relaxation to Life Cultivation

At the beginning, relaxation may be something we practice for ten minutes.

Later, we begin to notice tension while walking.

While talking.

While working.

While driving.

While exercising.

While thinking.

Eventually, relaxation becomes less of an isolated therapy and more of a way of moving through life.

We learn:

when effort is needed,

when effort is unnecessary,

when action is required,

and when release is wiser.

This is where relaxation becomes Life Cultivation.

The Deeper Principle

A living human body is neither completely rigid nor completely passive.

It continuously changes.

Contracts and releases.

Activates and recovers.

Moves and rests.

Focuses and lets go.

Health depends partly on our ability to move intelligently between these states.

The goal of Relaxation Therapy is therefore not permanent relaxation.

It is adaptive flexibility.

Relax when relaxation is appropriate.

Activate when action is required.

Remain aware in both states.

This is Relaxed Readiness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Relaxation Therapy?

Relaxation Therapy is a collection of practices designed to reduce unnecessary physical and mental tension and support recovery and self-regulation.

What is the relaxation response?

The relaxation response refers to a state of reduced physiological and psychological arousal that contrasts with persistent stress activation.

Do I need to breathe very deeply?

No.

Comfortable breathing is usually preferable to forcing excessively large breaths.

How long should I practice?

Beginners can start with approximately 5–10 minutes.

Short practices repeated consistently can be useful.

Can I practice relaxation while walking?

Yes.

Walking, gentle movement, Qigong, and other forms of mindful movement can all become relaxation practices.

Is relaxation the same as meditation?

No, although they overlap.

Meditation may emphasize awareness, attention, or observation, while relaxation practices may more directly target physical and psychological tension.

A practice may include both.

Can relaxation replace medical or psychological treatment?

No.

Relaxation can support well-being but should not replace necessary medical, psychiatric, psychological, or emergency care.

References & Further Reading

Benson H, Klipper MZ.
The Relaxation Response. New York: William Morrow; 1975.

Conrad A, Roth WT.
Muscle relaxation therapy for anxiety disorders: It works but how?
Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 2007;21(3):243–264.

Toussaint L, et al.
Effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation.
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2021.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
Relaxation Techniques: What You Need to Know.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
Meditation and Mindfulness: Effectiveness and Safety.

World Health Organization.
WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020.

Medical & Educational Disclaimer

This article is intended for general educational and wellness purposes only.

It does not provide individualized medical, psychological, or psychiatric diagnosis or treatment.

Relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, meditation, physical activity, acupuncture, Qigong, and complementary approaches may require modification for certain individuals.

Seek appropriate professional care for severe, persistent, worsening, or unexplained symptoms.

Do not discontinue prescribed medication or delay necessary medical or mental-health treatment based on information contained in this article.

About the Author

David S. Park, DAcCHM, PhD, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.

Founder of Scalar Nature Medicine and Scalar Do Hyun Gong.

His work integrates East Asian medicine, natural medicine, meditation, breathing, Qigong, movement, mind-body cultivation, relaxation therapy, rejuvenation, healthy aging, brain and mind development, and life cultivation.