Autogenic Training Basics

Autogenic Training Basics

What is Autogenic Training?

Autogenic training is a systematic self-suggestion method created by German psychiatrist and neurologist Johannes Heinrich Schultz in 1932. He observed that patients experience sensations of warmth and heaviness during hypnosis and developed a method to induce these sensations independently.

Scientific Research

Stress and Anxiety Reduction

A meta-analysis (Stetter & Kupper, 2002), covering 60 studies with over 3000 participants, confirmed that autogenic training effectively reduces anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms.

Blood Pressure Effects

Kanji et al. (2006) Cochrane review showed that autogenic training can reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 5-10 mmHg.

Sleep Quality

Bowden et al. (2012) study in Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback revealed that an 8-week autogenic program improved sleep quality in 70% of participants.

Six Standard Formulas

  • Heaviness: "My arms are very heavy" (muscle relaxation)
  • Warmth: "My arms are very warm" (blood vessel dilation)
  • Heart: "My heart beats calmly and strongly"
  • Breathing: "I breathe calmly and freely"
  • Solar Plexus: "My stomach is warm"
  • Forehead: "My forehead is cool"

Physiological Mechanism

Autogenic training works through:

  • Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis – reduces cortisol secretion
  • Autonomic nervous system – shifts from sympathetic to parasympathetic state
  • Muscle tone – decreases skeletal muscle tension

Recommended for:

  • Chronic stress and burnout
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Psychosomatic symptoms (headaches, digestive problems)
  • Sleep disorders
  • Hypertension

Scientific References

  • Schultz, J. H., & Luthe, W. (1969). Autogenic Therapy. Grune & Stratton.
  • Stetter, F., & Kupper, S. (2002). Autogenic Training: A Meta-Analysis. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 27(1), 45-98.
  • Kanji, N., et al. (2006). Autogenic training for stress and anxiety. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
  • Bowden, A., et al. (2012). Autogenic Training as a behavioural approach to insomnia. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 13(2), 175-185.