Relaxation Techniques at a Glance: Breathing, PMR, Imagery, Autogenic Training and Biofeedback
A plain-language map of breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, autogenic training and biofeedback, with what NCCIH and reviews say about each and where to read more.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Check first: talk with a clinician before starting if you have epilepsy, a psychiatric condition, a history of abuse or trauma, or lung, heart or blood pressure problems. NCCIH notes rare reports that certain relaxation techniques might cause or worsen symptoms in some of these groups. [1] Relaxation never replaces medicines or care.
The main techniques at a glance
| Technique | What it is (NCCIH wording) | Evidence in brief | Full page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breathing exercises | Focusing on slow, deep breaths, also called diaphragmatic breathing [1] | A 2019 review of 3 studies (880 participants) found preliminary evidence that diaphragmatic breathing may reduce stress. A 2019 review of 17 studies found a modest drop in blood pressure with slow breathing, with short follow-up and high risk of bias. [1] Promising but limited | Diaphragmatic breathing, gentle breathing practices |
| Progressive muscle relaxation | Tensing different muscles and then releasing the tension [1] | A 2017 review cited by NCCIH found moderate improvement in low-back pain, with low-rated evidence. [1] A 2026 meta-analysis of 31 trials found better sleep quality and lower anxiety, with very high variation between studies. [2] Promising but limited | More about Progressive muscle relaxation → |
| Autogenic training | Mental exercises that use relaxation and ideas you suggest to yourself, so your mind focuses on your body's experience of relaxation [1] | It was one of the methods pooled in a 2008 review of relaxation for anxiety (below). Insufficient evidence for the method alone from sources read here | More about Autogenic training → |
| Guided imagery or visualization | Picturing objects, scenes or events linked with relaxation or calmness and trying to produce a similar feeling in the body [1] | A 2015 review found a single session helped immediate fibromyalgia-related pain, but longer programs gave conflicting results. [1] Mixed | More about Guided imagery or visualization → |
| Biofeedback-assisted relaxation | A device shows how heart rate, blood pressure or muscle tension changes with stress or relaxation [1] | For heart-rate-variability biofeedback, a meta-analysis of 24 studies (484 people) found a large reduction in self-reported stress and anxiety, but the authors say more well-controlled studies are needed. [3] Promising but limited | Biofeedback: clinical versus consumer devices, HRV biofeedback |
| Self-hypnosis | People learn to produce the relaxation response when prompted by their own phrase or cue [1] | Not assessed on this page; hypnosis is outside this library. | None here |
Meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong and massage can also produce the relaxation response but are not covered in NCCIH's relaxation fact sheet. [1] See meditation and breathing, yoga nidra and mindful breathing.
How do they compare?
- Head to head. In one randomized comparison of 60 healthy undergraduates, 20 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing or guided imagery by recorded audio each raised felt relaxation compared with a control. Progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery moved toward physiological relaxation right away; the deep-breathing group first showed a rise in physiological arousal that returned to starting levels. [4] Single session, young healthy volunteers, self-reported relaxation: this cannot say which method suits you. The fuller comparison is on breathing exercises versus progressive muscle relaxation versus imagery.
- For anxiety in general. A 2008 review of 27 studies from 1997 to 2007 of progressive relaxation, autogenic training, applied relaxation and meditation found a medium-to-large effect on anxiety, with higher efficacy for meditation and longer treatments. [5] It is old, and pooled quite different methods.
- Versus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). NCCIH describes two 2018 reviews that disagree: one found relaxation therapy more effective than CBT for anxiety in 16 studies (856 people); another, of 50 studies (2,801 people), found it less effective for PTSD and obsessive-compulsive disorder and no different for other anxiety disorders, with most studies at high risk of bias. [1] Mixed.
- For sleep. NCCIH says relaxation techniques on their own do not seem especially promising for sleep, and reports that 2016 American College of Physicians guidelines strongly recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia as the initial treatment for chronic insomnia. [1] Relaxation can be one part of that therapy.
- For children. NCCIH says some relaxation techniques may help children and adolescents with pain, anxiety and depression, headaches or needle procedures, but much research was low quality. [1]
Nobody can be blinded to a relaxation practice, and many trials use waitlist or usual-care comparisons, so some of the benefit seen may reflect expectation and attention.
Choosing in practice
This is information, not advice for you. People differ in what feels calming. Points from the sources:- Breathing-based practices can go wrong for some people. NCCIH notes occasional increased anxiety, intrusive thoughts or fear of losing control with relaxation techniques. [1] If focusing on the breath makes you more tense, a method that does not depend on breath focus may suit you better, and you can stop at any time.
- Keep breathing gentle. NHS advice is to let the breath flow only as deep as is comfortable, without forcing it. [6] Do not hold your breath or breathe fast and hard. Stop and return to normal breathing if you feel dizzy, tingly, faint or short of breath; deliberate overbreathing lowers carbon dioxide and can cause these. [7]
- Never practise while driving, bathing, swimming, near water or at heights.
- If symptoms are severe or last a long time, see a health care provider. [1] Sudden severe difficulty breathing, chest tightness or blue or grey lips need emergency care; in the US call 911. [8]
For goal-based guidance, see relaxation techniques and relaxation for sleep in the Wellness section, or return to the Breathwork and Relaxation hub.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of relaxation techniques?
NCCIH lists progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, guided imagery, biofeedback-assisted relaxation, self-hypnosis and breathing exercises. [1]
Which relaxation technique works best?
No source we read ranks them. One 60-person study found progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing and guided imagery each raised felt relaxation compared with a control. [4]
Are relaxation techniques safe?
NCCIH says they are generally considered safe for healthy people, though some report increased anxiety, intrusive thoughts or fear of losing control. [1]
Can relaxation techniques treat insomnia or anxiety disorders?
Not on their own for insomnia, according to NCCIH, which reports guidelines recommending CBT for insomnia first; for anxiety disorders reviews are mixed. [1]
How common are these techniques in the US?
NCCIH cites a national survey in which 6.4 percent of US adults used guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation in 2022. [1]
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH, US NIH), Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know. Read 2026-10-22.
- Progressive muscle relaxation technique improves sleep quality and mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2026 (PMID 41633054). Read 2026-10-22.
- Goessl VC, Curtiss JE, Hofmann SG, The effect of heart rate variability biofeedback training on stress and anxiety: a meta-analysis, Psychological Medicine 2017 (PMID 28478782). Read 2026-10-22.
- 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 (PMID 34306146). Read 2026-10-22.
- Manzoni GM et al., Relaxation training for anxiety: a ten-years systematic review with meta-analysis, BMC Psychiatry 2008 (PMID 18518981). Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK), Breathing exercises for stress. Page last reviewed 12 June 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (US National Library of Medicine), Hyperventilation. Review date 7/23/2024. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK), Shortness of breath. Page last reviewed 30 January 2024. Read 2026-10-22.