Of course, there is such a thing as good stress. It isn’t unhealthy because it only occurs for a short time. However, its ugly twin, negative stress, has become a widespread health issue. And it can have serious consequences for your health, especially if it becomes a long-term problem. The effects range from annoying tension in the back and increased susceptibility to infections to burnout syndrome, depression and life-threatening illnesses. It’s fair to say that not exactly few people suffer from stress. Quite the opposite: stress has become the number one widespread health problem. That is why it helps to have a few tools at hand to deal with it. Autogenic training is one possible way out of inner tension.
- Ways to manage stress
- What is autogenic training?
- How does autogenic training work?
- Exercises at the basic level
Ways to manage stress
Strictly speaking, stress is nothing more than a state of alert. The brain produces adrenaline and cortisol while blood pressure rises. What may be beneficial over short periods is unhealthy in the long run. Just as an engine is not meant to run permanently in the red rev range, the human body does not want to live in a constant state of alert. An overly demanding working day at the office chair, worries about your job or loneliness can all contribute to stress becoming a permanent condition. That is why, in the long term, it is important to consciously build breaks into each day and quite literally take a deep breath.
Until a few years ago, there was still time to catch your breath in the evening after work or during a peaceful weekend. But as the working world has become more hectic, our idea of leisure time has changed too. A quiet weekend in an armchair, a book, and the occasional walk through tranquil countryside, and on Sunday off to the football ground or the radio to listen to the Bundesliga? So outdated. These days, after Friday’s after-work party, it’s up at the crack of dawn on Saturday for canyoning, bouldering or a water-skiing course, followed by a visit to a trendy club to meet people and maintain contacts. Sunday is devoted entirely to keeping up with Twitter, Facebook and the like, going to the gym, swimming pool or a spinning class, improving foreign language skills or, quite simply, doing the housework that had to be neglected during the week. These examples may be wildly exaggerated, but at heart they are closer to the truth than the reality our grandparents lived. Back then, a lot had to happen for cherished rituals involving the allotment, the regulars’ table, the stadium and Sunday roast to be cancelled at the weekend or after a shift had ended.
This development fits in with the other signs of the times. It is not only that employees are expected to deliver more and more, put in longer hours and remain reachable long after the working day is over. In addition, social media plays a major role in shaping the focus on living a life packed with experiences. Put simply: the timeline puts on full display what an undefined swarm of people has experienced, which at least subconsciously creates pressure and envy. In keeping with the motto: “Am I really the only idiot sitting on an office chair today instead of lounging in a deckchair in the Caribbean sipping cocktails, standing on a mountain peak or eating ice cream with the kids?”
This creates needs whose fulfilment is then eagerly shared, setting the cycle in motion all over again. Of course, there are countless other reasons why our lives today, despite all the technical and mechanical innovations, have not become easier and calmer, but rather more hectic. Without regular breaks and consciously removing ourselves from the ingrained routines of the modern world, body and mind wear down. Of course, it helps to clear your head at the gym or gain new perspectives through paragliding or free climbing. But neither the soul nor the mind truly relax in the process. And yet that is exactly what most people want: deep relaxation through action. It is obvious that this cannot work. What is really needed is consciously planned time out in which body and mind can recover from the stress between the office chair and leisure time. Autogenic training is one of many possible approaches – it is highly regarded in the treatment of stress symptoms such as sleep disorders, high blood pressure or headaches.
What is autogenic training?
It is a relaxation method based on autosuggestion. It was developed by the Berlin psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz, who first presented it in 1926. In his book “Das autogene Training”, he introduced the method to a broad public; numerous studies confirmed its effectiveness. In Germany and Austria, it is a legally recognised method of psychotherapy. The term “autogenic” is made up of the Greek “auto” (original, self-acting) and the Latin “genero” (to produce, to bring forth). In that sense, the term “autogenic training” is not entirely accurate: it is not the training that is autogenic, but the relaxation.
It is brought about by the practitioner themselves. Initially guided by a trainer, the “student” is eventually meant to be able to put themselves into a state of relaxation from within, so to speak. The basis for the invention of autogenic training was Johannes Heinrich Schultz’s observation that muscle relaxation can lead to calm in the brain. According to Schultz, the message to the human control centre is: “There is calm in the periphery.” This, he believed, allows the brain to calm down as well. This relaxation model also draws heavily on the idea of hypnosis: the brain is calmed through autosuggestion, in other words “switched over”. The most important thing in autogenic training is therefore to “switch back” to normal mode after completing the exercises, so as not to remain in a trance-like state.
How does autogenic training work?
There are three training levels, which are completed one after the other: the basic level, the intermediate level and the advanced level. While the autonomic nervous system is addressed in the basic level, the methods of the intermediate level influence behaviour through formulaic intention-setting. Finally, the advanced level opens up unconscious areas of the person practising. Whether beginner or advanced: relaxation comes solely through mental concentration.
Ideally, beginners should place themselves in the hands of an experienced trainer who guides them through the first stages of autogenic training. The trainer repeats formulas like a mantra, such as “I am completely calm” or “My left arm is becoming very heavy”, in order to influence physical processes. In doing so, the person practising learns to focus their thoughts specifically on one part of their body. Learning all the exercises in the basic level normally takes a few weeks. During this time, it is beneficial to join a group and practise together. Especially at the beginning, it is essential to focus only on individual exercises. Anyone who would like to approach the subject on their own can do so with a few simple exercises, which are presented below.
As always, an explicit warning at this point: symptoms such as a racing heart, sleep disorders, digestive problems or high blood pressure may indeed be signs of permanent stress. However, they may also indicate a serious physical illness that cannot be treated with relaxation exercises – so be sure to speak to your doctor if you notice such symptoms.
Exercises at the basic level
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Calming exercise
To settle down at the start of the training, close your eyes. Notice the darkness and imagine the following words appearing before your mind’s eye as if on a cinema screen: “I am completely calm, nothing can disturb me.” -
Heaviness exercise
Turn your attention to your arms and legs. On the imaginary cinema screen, the words appear: “My arms and legs are very heavy”. -
Warmth exercise
This exercise is intended to stimulate blood circulation in your arms and legs. Imagine the following words: “My arms and legs are becoming warm”. -
Breathing exercise
Following the motto “My breathing flows calmly and evenly”, your breaths should neither be prolonged nor consciously made regular. On the contrary, simply pay attention to how your breathing flows and it will calm down all by itself. -
Heart exercise
Concentrate on your heartbeat. How fast is your heart beating, how loud and how regular is it? Imagine the words “My heart beats calmly and regularly” on the imaginary cinema screen.
At the end of one or more connected exercises, instruct your arms to become firm and strong and say out loud, “Take a deep breath! Open your eyes!” This helps you end the training session consciously. As already mentioned, this phase is the most important phase – because body and mind are switched back to normal mode. Practising regularly in a group, in particular, quickly leads to success. Advanced users can eventually guide themselves and, through a sequence of exercises practised many times, easily and effectively enter a state of relaxation that can become an important counterbalance to everyday hectic life.
Work ergonomically with height-adjustable desks and office furniture.
Expert tip: Take a break after 50 minutes
What does that look like in practice?
After 50 minutes of screen work, you should take a 10-minute break. Get some movement, breathe in some fresh air and drink enough water. Looking into the distance and doing eye relaxation exercises gives your eyes new energy for visual work.