Abstract

This controlled study compared immediate effects of two relaxation techniques on state anxiety and sustained attention in healthy subjects. 86 volunteers (56 men and 30 women) were divided into two groups: the first 43 volunteers (age range 18 to 64) practiced 20 minutes of yoga-based Deep Relaxation Technique (DRT), while the second group of 43 volunteers (same age range), practiced 20 minutes Supine Rest (SR). State anxiety was assessed using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI A-State), and sustained attention was assessed using the Six Letter Cancellation (SLC) and Digit Letter Substitution (DLS) tests. All tests were administered immediately before, and immediately after, practice. A significant reduction in State Anxiety score (P < 0.001) was observed for the group practicing DRT, but not for the group practicing SR. For the sustained attention tests, however, there were significant increases in scores by both DRT and SR groups (P < 0.001). The results suggest that both interventions improve attention, but that only DRT reduces State Anxiety.