Relaxation therapy for gut health

For people who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or stress-related gastrointestinal symptoms, relaxation therapy can help minimize discomfort and even improve bowel problems. Therapists use a variety of methods to induce a natural state of relaxation:

• progressive muscle relaxation
• mental imaging
• music
• aromas.

During and after relaxation therapy, thoughts begin to flow slowly and naturally, muscle tension diminishes, and breathing slows and becomes deeper and more regular. This allows the parasympathetic ("rest and digest") nervous system to take over. The result? The body can relax and proceed with digestion.

One small study, for example, found that people with IBS who learned to elicit the relaxation response enjoyed significant short- and long-term reductions in pain, bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence. In another study, people with IBS and inflammatory bowel disease had fewer symptoms after taking a course that combined learning and practicing the relaxation response with the development of cognitive skills to cope with stress and their gastrointestinal symptoms.

Many relaxation programs incorporate mindfulness, a practice of learning to observe what's going on in the present moment without judging it or thinking about the past or future. In IBS, this can mean noting your present gastrointestinal symptoms without thinking back to the worst symptoms you ever had or worrying about what may happen next. In a 2020 study of 68 people with IBS, after a mindfulness-based stress reduction program, 70% of the participants had a significant drop in their IBS symptoms, along with reduced anxiety and a higher quality of life.

There are many relaxation techniques, including yoga, meditation, hypnosis, and biofeedback. The Harvard Special Health Report Stress Management explains many techniques for tamping down stress levels.

Learn more about gut health in The Sensitive Gut, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

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