• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 2001

The relaxation response is a state of profound rest, creates physiological responses directly opposite to the stress response. The relaxation response can be used to counteract the harmful effects of stress. The relaxation response can be elicited by a number of techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, biofeedback, etc. These relaxation methods in any mental or physical conditions associated with distress and even in normal people have useful benefits for stress control and health enhancement. These relaxation techniques are but one part of a comprehensive stress management program, through regular and continuous practice appropriate for each person, they will make an effective role in stress management. In this review, author reviewed how to practically use meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic training, in more detail. In the treatment of various stress-related disease, especially in psychiatric disorders, the relaxation technique may be a useful complement to conventional treatment and serves as an intervention between stress and disease.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1999

Biofeedback training is one of physiological self control methods for patients who has psychological problem and rehabilitational problem. It has been used to control blood pressure, heart rate, peripheral temperature, respiration, electromyography (ENG), and other biological signals-ENG, respiration, heat rate, peripheral temperature, skin conductance level-was developed in house. We applied this system to alcohol dependent patients to perform biofeedback training. In this experiment, the relaxation biofeedback training for alcohol dependent patient was carried out and the tension state for the change of biological signals were estimated using the fuzzy theory after relaxation biofeenback training. Eight alcohol dependent patients were agreed to participate in this experiment. Result showed that 1) the tension degree of patients were higher than the tension degree of normal subject. 2) The tension degree of patients were decreased as the training numbers were increased.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 1999

Objectives: We explored the characteristics of physiological variables such as electrodermal response(EDR) and electromyography(EMG) in patients with insomnia, panic disorder, and other anxiety disorders. we aimed to decide the minimum sessions in biofeedback treatment to make the treatment effective and examine the effects of long-term biofeedback treatment by measuring the physiological variables. Methods: Thirty seven outpatients who received biofeedback treatment were divided into 3 groups according to the number of biofeedback sessions(patients who received 4-5 sessions, who received 6-9 sessions, and who received more than 10 sessions). We measured mean and delta values of EDR and EMG levels, and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HARS), and Slef-Relaxation Inventory(SRI) in all patients. Data were analyzed by t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The mean and delta values of EDR and EMG levels were not different among the 3 groups during the first 4 biofeedback sessions. However, patients who received more than 10 biofeedback sessions had higher baseline mean EDR value(F=2.233, p=0.036) in the first session, compared with other patients. In patients who received more than 10 biofeedback sessions, mean EDR was significantly reduced after $5^{th}$ session(F=10.41, p<0.01). They showed significant improvement in SRI scores at 12th biofeedback session(t=2.726, p<0.05) and in HARS scores at $6^{th}$(t=3.10, p<0.05) and $12^{th}$ biofeedback session(t=10.93, p<0.001). Conclusions: Wesuggest that patients should receive more than 5 biofeedback sessions to experience internal cues and get a good clinical response to biofeedback treatment.