According to an article published in the May 2013 issue of PLoS ONE, a single session of the relaxation response produced immediate changes in gene expression of immunity, energy metabolism, and insulin secretion. Investigators from Harvard analyzed the expression of more than 22,000 genes and found that the relaxation response alleviates symptoms of anxiety and improves heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption, and brain activity through genetic changes in DNA.
Various other forms of relaxation, such as meditation, yoga or prayer were not reflected in changes in gene expression.
