If you have trouble falling asleep & constantly brooding, relaxation exercises such as autogenic training are a great way to get rid of worries & finally wake up rested.
Almost everyone suffers from lack of sleep from time to time or has problems falling asleep on some days. It is usually difficult to say for sure why someone is sleeping poorly.
Targeted relaxation exercises such as autogenic training and adapting your sleeping habits ( e.g. the right sleeping position or the right pillow ) can help you sleep faster and better.
Autogenic training is a well-known relaxation technique that is particularly effective on stress-related problems. Learn how this relaxation technique works and how you can use it to improve your sleep.
Index
What affects your sleep
Most people with sleep problems simply want to sleep better without resorting to sleeping pills like pills.
In this case in particular, it can be useful to try a relaxation method.
- However, you should also check to what extent your sleep problems can be explained by other behaviors:
- Habits like drinking coffee late, evening meals or late workouts can take revenge later in the bedroom.
But don’t worry too much: lying in bed worrying about not being able to fall asleep can keep you from sleeping as much as bad habits.
How do relaxation exercises work?
The point of every relaxation exercise is to provide physical and mental balance.
You should reduce physical tension and at the same time interrupt your thought processes (worries, unpleasant memories, brooding) – because these too influence sleep.
- Studies show that people who use relaxation techniques sleep longer and deeper at night.
- The biggest effect, however, concerns falling asleep: these people fell asleep much faster than others.
Psychologists recommend relaxation exercises such as autogenic training to their patients for many different clinical pictures:
In addition to sleep problems, it also helps with stress-related problems or anxiety disorders.
Note: how much sleep is healthy? Here you can read everything about optimal sleep duration .
Autogenic training for better sleep
In autogenic training, you concentrate on different parts of the body and consciously try to relax them.
- In short, you are actually helping your body respond to your verbal commands.
- The important thing is to focus on your body, but stay relaxed at the same time.
Over time, you will intuitively learn to interpret the body’s signals better – and conversely, this form of mindfulness will also calm your body.
Ultimately, you control your blood pressure, heartbeat and body temperature.
Your goal is to fall into a state of deep relaxation and leave the stress behind. A great advantage of this method is that you can use it anytime, anywhere.
How does autogenic training work?
Autogenic training consists of six standard exercises that involve different parts of the body.
Certain areas should feel warm, heavy or relaxed through the power of thought, and this is how it works:
- To do this, sit in an armchair or on the couch.
- Concentrate on your breath for a few seconds. You have no goal.
- Then use your visual imagination and verbal cues to gradually relax your body.
- Stay in your imagination and try the pointers such as, “My right hand is very warm.” really feel.
How can you learn autogenic training?
Today you will find a wide variety of tools to properly practice autogenic training.
You can sign up for a course, buy a recording or video, or read a book to do this .
Do this slowly and carefully. It usually takes 4 to 6 months to master all six exercises.
Important: In order to experience the full effectiveness of this relaxation method, you must repeat the exercises regularly.
This is how autogenic training works
After a few days you will already feel the first small successes. Perhaps it is already easier for them to focus and switch off.
But you only realize the full extent after you have persevered for a long time.
- Remember that most relaxation methods are only effective if you study them regularly and invest some time.
- This is the only way to be able to apply the training specifically in your life: for example, if you have trouble falling asleep or are nervous.
The benefits of autogenic training
How exactly autogenic training works has not been fully researched – but the effects on the body are measurable.
Research shows that autogenic training …
- The tension in the muscles decreases
- the skin temperature increases,
- the breathing rate slows down,
- and balance the heart rate.
After using this relaxation exercise, patients feel less nervous, are more relaxed and generally report increased wellbeing.
When else does autogenic training help?
Autogenic training is particularly effective in combating stress.
- It is also used for various problems that are not so easy to deal with in the traditional sense.
- For example, in the case of anxiety disorders, constant fatigue or irritability. However, these are only the psychological areas.
Some people use it to combat their pain, for intestinal diseases, neurodermatitis and even to prepare for birth.
Autogenic training also helps
- Asthma
- a headache
- high blood pressure
- Hyperventilation
- For stomach problems and indigestion
- Coronary heart disease
- Muscle tension
Tip: It is best to combine relaxation exercises with a tea .
Is Autogenic Training Safe?
Most people can safely practice autogenic training.
You are excluded if you suffer from diabetes, heart problems or irregularities in blood pressure.
In this case, you should only try these relaxation exercises after consulting your doctor and see them not as a substitute, but as a supplement to medical treatment.
How to sleep better with autogenic training
While autogenic training is quite simple, there are a few things you should stick to in order to get the most benefit from the exercises.
If you develop your personal sleep routine around this relaxation technique, nothing can actually go wrong.
- Practice daily, if possible several times!
- Save your last unit for bed. Make yourself really comfortable and expect to fall asleep during an exercise.
- To do this, it can be very helpful to record your voice. In this way you will be able to be even more relaxed while performing the exercise.
Even if you don’t notice any major changes at first, don’t stop exercising immediately.
Maybe you just lack the necessary concentration or you need a little more support. A therapist helping you with the exercises can work wonders.
More tips about sleeping
If you are interested in improving your sleeping habits, then this is the best place to do a little browsing.
Everything here revolves around the topic of sleep: from advice on how to sleep better, to tips on furnishing your bedroom or help with insomnia , to the latest findings from sleep research .
Simply click on one of the links to get to the respective article overview.
I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.