If you follow any of the literature on mind-body health and self-care techniques for anxiety, chances are that terms like yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and progressive muscle relaxation are familiar. “Autogenic training,” on the other hand? Not so much—probably because the German neurologist who developed it, Dr H.H. Sultz, was a Nazi who supported forced sterilization for certain people groups. This inconvenient truth has not stopped researchers from studying autogenic training (AT), however—and ultimately going on to validate its application for many medical issues, including anxiety disorders.
Today, autogenic training enjoys international recognition for its wide-ranging benefits:
- NASA teaches AT to help its astronauts prepare for the stressors of space, and the Veterans Affairs Department has stated on its website that making AT part of one’s routine may improve overall health.
- Japan and Germany employ AT in the treating of medical conditions.
- Australia, UK, Italy, and Spain use it as a complementary treatment for anxiety, stress, depression, anger management, insomnia, fatigue, and cognitive issues like concentration memory.
- AT is also used in conjunction with biofeedback to help athletes improve their mental conditioning.
Autogenic Training – What Is It, and How Did It Get Its Name?
Autogenic training is a form of self-hypnosis. The term “autogenic” means “self-generated” or “originating within the body” and describes how AT works on the body’s autonomic nervous system to balance and restore it. The autonomic nervous system, consisting of both the sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and parasympathetic (rest) divisions, regulates the body’s involuntary physiological processes, such as blood pressure, digestion, and respiration.
Whether self-directed or therapist-led, AT involves the saying aloud of six mental statements or “autosuggestions” to achieve relaxation. These statements function a bit like mantras that are spoken calmly and slowly. They address different parts of the body and are meant to create sensations of warmth, heaviness, or coolness, depending on the area of the body that they are addressing. The overall goal is to harness the power of the mind to set in motion a relaxation response.
Proponents of the practice say it should take around 20 minutes, and many recommend doing it daily. Some go further, saying AT is worth doing a few times daily, at least initially.
What Autogenic Training Is Like and How to Practice It
The VA has produced this helpful guide to AT, along with detailed instructions for an AT exercise that you can try. Aspects of it include:
- Correct positioning – Lying on the floor or reclining in a chair
- Diaphragmatic breathing – Taking care to breathe out slowly, so that exhales are longer than inhales
- Repeating aloud to oneself six sets of statements, each of which has a theme. For example, the first set of statements describe a sensation of heaviness in the limbs, starting with the right arm, then the left arm, then both arms; followed by the right leg, then the left leg, then both legs; followed by the concluding observation, “My arms and my legs are heavy.”
If you are being treated for an anxiety disorder, consult your medical provider about whether AT would be worth trying as a complement to your existing regimen. AT is a self-care technique, not a substitute for mainline medical treatments. It’s also not for everyone and should be avoided by those with certain conditions like schizophrenia. Still, what the research into AT suggests is that even an anxious mind has great, innate power to calm itself down, and that is empowering news for anyone who struggles with anxiety.
