Autogenic training facts for kids

Autogenic training is a special way to relax your body and mind. It was created by a German doctor named Johannes Schultz in 1932. It's a bit like learning to tell your body to calm down, using your own thoughts.

This technique involves practicing short sessions every day, usually for about 15 minutes each. You might do a session in the morning, at lunchtime, and in the evening. During each session, you repeat certain phrases or ideas in your mind. These ideas help your body and mind feel very relaxed.

You can practice Autogenic training in different comfortable positions. For example, you can lie down, sit like you're meditating, or even sit slumped like a rag doll.

Dr. Schultz saw some similarities between Autogenic training and practices like yoga and meditation. However, Autogenic training is different because it doesn't involve any spiritual or mystical ideas. It's a scientific method that helps you learn to influence your autonomic nervous system. This is the part of your body that controls things you don't usually think about, like your breathing, heart rate, and digestion.

How Does Autogenic Training Work?

Autogenic training helps you learn to relax deeply by focusing on different parts of your body. You use your mind to create feelings of heaviness and warmth in your limbs. You also focus on calming your heart and breathing.

When you practice regularly, your body learns to respond to these thoughts. This can help you feel more relaxed and less stressed in your daily life. It's a way to train your body to relax on its own.

Practicing Autogenic Training

A typical Autogenic training session follows a simple pattern. Here is an example of what you might do:

• First, get into a comfortable position, like lying down or sitting quietly.
• Then, you might focus on your body and notice how it feels.
• Next, you repeat certain phrases to yourself, usually three times each. These phrases help you feel relaxed.

Here are some examples of phrases you might use:

• "My left arm is heavy and warm." (Repeat three times)
• "My arms and legs are heavy and warm." (Repeat three times)
• "My heartbeat is calm and regular." (Repeat three times)
• "My solar plexus (the area just below your ribs) is warm." (Repeat three times)

You continue with similar phrases for other parts of your body. After a set of phrases, you might "cancel" the feelings of heaviness and warmth by thinking of your body becoming light and active again. You might repeat the whole process a few times during one session.

Regular practice helps you get better at relaxing quickly and deeply.

See also

In Spanish: Entrenamiento autógeno para niños