Autogenic Training is more than just a relaxation technique. It has a huge field of application ranging from self-help to sports and from psychological to medical applications.
- In the medical or clinical field, we may say that there is no disease that cannot be improved with AT. It is used in psychosomatic disorders, ranging from migraine to gastritis and headache. In obstetrics it’s used to prepare for the childbirth, using only the heaviness, the warmth and the breathing exercises, in conjunction with affirmations. It boosts the immune system’s defenses and improves blood circulation.
- It reduces stress and its bad effects. It relieves tension and the problems due to an excess of anxiety (slight or moderate anxiety problems). It makes you sleep better and helps increase concentration and memory, allowing you to study and work better.
- With regard to physical recovery, according to Klaus Thomas (1915 – 1992, German physician, psychotherapist and AT expert), two minutes of Autogenic Training replaces a two-hour sleep. This effect of refreshment lasts for 60-90 minutes at the most, after which drowsiness comes back. You can use it for example to avoid afternoon drowsiness. To cope with sleepiness, 20 minutes is the maximum time for an Autogenic Training session. Beyond that time, it would become a real nap from which however it’s often difficult to wake up.
- Thanks to AT we can self-suggest and free ourselves from negative thinking patterns, in order to boost our confidence and self-control.
- It allows us introspection and a greater self-awareness of our mind and body, thanks to the standard exercises.
- Another important aspect of AT is that once mastered, you never forget it. I mean that even if you don’t practice it for a long time, say for years, once you use it again you don’t have to restart learnigh it.
