Abstract
This study investigated the effect of daily relaxation on concentrations of serum immunoglobulins A, G, and M and secretion rates of salivary immunoglobulin A (S-IgA). Twenty-four volunteers were randomly assigned to practice a relaxation technique daily for 3 weeks and 16 to a waiting list control condition. Blood and saliva samples were collected before and after a supervised 20-min relaxation session at the beginning and end of the 3-week practice period. S-IgA secretion rate increased significantly (p<.001) after 20 min of relaxation. A longer-term practice effect also occurred in that the increase in secretion rate in “before to after” relaxation samples was higher (p=.014) in subjects who had practiced relaxation once a day for 3 weeks than in waiting list control subjects practicing for the first time. Serum IgA (p<.001), IgG (p<.001), and igM (p<.05) increased significantly over the 3-week practice period. Relaxation may be a self-regulating strategy affecting both humoral and cellular divisions of the immune system.
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Green, M.L., Green, R.G. & Santoro, W. Daily relaxation modifies serum and salivary immunoglobulins and psychophysiologic symptom severity. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation 13, 187–199 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999169
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00999169