Meditation versus Relaxation - Which is Better for Anxiety?

This is based on a study from researchers out of Spain to see if meditation or relaxation exercises helped anxiety more. Learn about Progressive muscle relaxation here: https://youtu.be/G97zCvE6BlU And Aromatherapy here: https://youtu.be/zackfqlOwZ4

The researchers concluded that meditation had a slightly better effect than relaxation for helping people with anxiety.

Relaxation therapy includes things like Progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing exercises, music therapy and aroma therapy. These therapies are better at addressing your body’s autonomic response by triggering physical relaxation. The physical relaxation has the trickle down effect of relaxing your mind as well.

There are many different meditation techniques out there. They can be broken out into three types. Attentional, Constructive and Deconstructive.

I would expect meditation to be more helpful in the long term because of the way it restructures your mindset. Relaxation handles the net effect of anxiety. It helps you downshift from being hyped up and worked up to feeling subjectively more relaxed. Then if you take away the physical tension, you’re in a better headspace to think rationally and control your reactions.

But this doesn’t have to be either or. I think the best approach is to use both techniques for different reasons. You use meditation as a regular practice that you engage in even when you are not anxious. Think of it as mental strength training.

References:
Montero-Marin J, Garcia-Campayo J, Pérez-Yus MC, Zabaleta-Del-Olmo E, Cuijpers P. Meditation techniques v. relaxation therapies when treating anxiety: a meta-analytic review. Psychol Med. 2019;49(13):2118-2133. doi:10.1017/S0033291719001600

Dahl CJ, Lutz A, Davidson RJ. Reconstructing and deconstructing the self: cognitive mechanisms in meditation practice. Trends Cogn Sci. 2015;19(9):515-523. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2015.07.001

Behan C. The benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices during times of crisis such as COVID-19 [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 14]. Ir J Psychol Med. 2020;1-3. doi:10.1017/ipm.2020.38

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By: Dr. Tracey Marks
Title: Meditation versus Relaxation - Which is Better for Anxiety?
Sourced From: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx8-wrUI1hA