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My patients have found the following technique helpful :

The Relaxation - Autosuggestion Method
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1. Lay down on your back with the palms of your hands on your abdomen.
2. Close your eyes and breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
2. As you breathe out slowly, feel yourself beginning to relax; feel the tension leaving your body.
3. Now breathe in and out slowly and regularly, at whatever rate is comfortable for you. You should feel your abdomen rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out. (abdominal breathing). Do this for a couple of minutes.
4. Become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word, "ONE", silently to yourself. Breathe easily and naturally.
5. Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm.
6. End with a slow deep breath. As you breathe out say to yourself "I feel relaxed."
Note: If you clench on your teeth at night, do this at night before bedtime and tell yourself: "I will get a good night's sleep". "I will not clench on my teeth because I don't want to have an aching jaw." Also pay attention to sleeping posture: avoid straining the neck or leaning onto the jaw.

Do not worry about whether you are successful in achieving a deep level of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling upon them and return to repeating "ONE." With practice, the response should come with little effort. Practice the technique once or twice daily, but not within 2 hours after any meal, since the digestive processes seem to interfere with the elicitation of the Relaxation Response.
- The Relaxation Response, Herbert Benson, M.D.
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