A simple relaxing routine eased worry around brain tumor surgery
Original title: Benson relaxation technique for perioperative anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients undergoing brain tumor surgery: a clinical trial.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
It was tested in a small group of people, but it is not standard care yet.
The short version
A guided breathing and relaxing routine helped patients feel calmer before and after brain surgery.
What was studied. Doctors tested a relaxing routine called the Benson relaxation technique in people having brain tumor surgery. The routine used muscle relaxing, deep belly breathing, and repeating a word, with staff guiding each session.
What they found. Out of 84 people checked, 74 joined the study. Half of them, 37, did the guided routine, and 37 did not. In all, 70 people finished, 35 in each group. A day after surgery, the group that did the routine felt less anxious than the other group. They also had fewer low mood symptoms. No one had a bad reaction to the routine.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: A calm breathing and relaxing routine may help you feel less anxious around brain surgery. It is simple, and in this study it was safe. Nurses can guide it, so it does not need drugs. You could ask your care team if something like this is offered at your hospital.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean the routine treats the tumor in any way. It is not a cure, and it does not change how the surgery goes. This was one study at one place, with a small number of people. It looked at how people felt, not how long they live. More studies are needed before this becomes a normal part of care everywhere.
Source: PubMed, November 3, 2026 · Read the original
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