A comparison of somatic relaxation and EEG activity in classical progressive relaxation and transcendental meditation.
Stephen Warrenburg, Robert R. Pagano, M Woods, M Hlastala
Journal of Behavioral Medicine March 1980 DOI: 10.1007/bf00844915 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Long-term practitioners of Jacobson's progressive relaxation, long-term Transcendental Meditation practitioners, and novice progressive relaxation trainees |
| Interventions | Jacobson's progressive relaxation Transcendental Meditation |
| Measures | oxygen consumption, electroencephalogram (EEG) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | All three groups showed similar small reductions in somatic activity during relaxation or meditation and eyes-closed rest (about 2-5% in oxygen consumption), supporting the "relaxation response" model for state changes but not a hypometabolic state. The authors conclude that progressive relaxation causes a generalized trait of somatic relaxation, as long-term PR practitioners showed lower somatic activity across all conditions than novice PR and long-term TM groups. |
Abstract
Oxygen consumption, electroencephalogram (EEG), and four other measures of somatic relaxation were monitored in groups of long-term practitioners of classical Jacobson's progressive relaxation (PR) and Transcendental Meditation (TM) and also in a group of novice PR trainees. All subjects (1) practiced relaxation or meditation (treatment), (2) sat with eyes closed (EC control), and (3) read from a travel book during two identical sessions on different days. EEG findings indicated that all three groups remained primarily awake during treatment and EC control and that several subjects in each group displayed rare theta (5-7 Hz) waveforms. All three groups demonstrated similar decrements in somatic activity during treatment and EC control which were generally of small magnitude (e. g., 2-5% in oxygen consumption). These results supported the "relaxation response" model for state changes in somatic relaxation for techniques practiced under low levels of stress but not the claim that the relaxation response produced a hypometabolic state. Despite similar state effects, the long-term PR group manifested lower levels of somatic activity across all conditions compared to both novice PR and long-term TM groups. We concluded that PR causes a generalized trait of somatic relaxation which is manifested in a variety of settings and situations. Two likely explanations for this trait were discussed: (1) PR practitioners are taught to generalize relaxation to daily activities, and/or (2) according to a "multiprocess model," PR is a "somatic technique," which should produce greater somatic relaxation than does TM, a "cognitive technique." Further research is required to elucidate these possibilities.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- EEG Derived Neuronal Dynamics during Meditation: Progress and Challenges Advances in Preventive Medicine 2015
- Oxygen Consumption Changes With Yoga Practices Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine July 17, 2013
- The Relevance of Meditation to Clinical Practice: An Overview Applied Psychology July 1, 1990
- EEG changes induced by meditative practices: State and trait effects in healthy subjects and in patients with epilepsy. Revue Neurologique April 1, 2024
- Does the Sound of a Singing Bowl Synchronize Meditational Brainwaves in the Listeners? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health June 19, 2023
and 9 more in the library
Cites 9
- Physiological Effects of Transcendental Meditation Science March 27, 1970
- Patterning of Cognitive and Somatic Processes in the Self-Regulation of Anxiety: Effects of Meditation versus Exercise Psychosomatic Medicine June 1, 1978
- AN ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC STUDY ON THE ZEN MEDITATION (ZAZEN) Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences December 1, 1966
- Meditation as an intervention in stress reactivity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1976
- Sleep During Transcendental Meditation Science January 23, 1976
and 4 more in the library