Physiological Correlates of Meditation and Their Clinical Effects in Headache: An Ongoing Investigation

We previously reported reduced blood pressure, psychological symptoms, and other cardiac risk factors in hypertensive patients who participated in a nonpharmacologic, outpatient behavioral program. The present study is a 3 to 5 year follow-up of 59 (60%) of the same patients (who served as their own controls) to assess continued efficacy of the program. At entry into the study, patients had hypertension for a median of 6 years. Therefore, it is unlikely that placebo effect could expla […]

To determine whether decreased sympathetic-nervous-system activity achieved by the relaxation response could decrease premature ventricular contractions (P.V.C.S), eleven ambulatory patients with proven, stable ischæmic heart-disease and P.V.C.s were investigated. The patients, who were taking no medication for the P.V.C.S, were trained to elicit regularly the relaxation response through a non-cultic psychological technique. The frequency of the P.V.C.s was measured by computer analys […]

The majority of individuals with insomnia treated with single behavioral interventions do not achieve normal sleep. In this study, individuals with chronic sleep-onset insomnia (n=12) were treated with a sequentially administered multifactor behavioral intervention consisting of sleep restriction, modified stimulus control, and relaxation training. They were compared to age- and sex-matched normal sleepers (n=14) prior to and following treatment using home-based polysomnography and po […]