Herb & supplement monograph

Autogenic Training Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated June 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Autogenic Training interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Autogenic Training is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Autogenic Training is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Reviewed by licensed pharmacists Sourced from Natural Medicines

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Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Autogenic Training

0 medications have a known interaction with Autogenic Training, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Autogenic Training. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Autogenic Training combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Monograph

Autogenic Training: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed June 2026 ·

The bottom line

Autogenic training is a relaxation technique that uses self-directed phrases to create feelings of warmth, heaviness, and calm in the body. It is generally safe for most people and may help with stress, anxiety, and sleep, though the quality of research is mixed. It is best learned from a trained instructor and is not a replacement for medical treatment.

Part used: Not applicable (a mind-body relaxation technique, not a plant or supplement)
Common forms: Guided audio recordings, classes with a trained therapist, self-practice scripts, smartphone apps

People commonly use it for

Stress and tension
Anxiety
Trouble sleeping
High blood pressure
Headaches and chronic pain
Calming the body before stressful events

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallLikely safe

It is a low-risk mind-body practice for most healthy adults.

PregnancyInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable evidence available; however, there is no known reason to suspect an adverse effect.

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingInsufficient reliable information

Insufficient reliable evidence available; however, there is no known reason to suspect an adverse effect.

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Jump to a section

Overview

Autogenic training is not an herb or a supplement. It is a structured relaxation technique that uses your own thoughts and gentle mental phrases to calm your body and mind. The name comes from words meaning "self-generated," because you guide the relaxation yourself.

The method was developed in the early 20th century by a German psychiatrist named Johannes Heinrich Schultz. It grew out of observations about hypnosis and deep relaxation. Today it is used as part of mind-body medicine, often alongside other approaches like meditation, breathing exercises, and biofeedback.

In a typical session, you sit or lie down in a quiet place and silently repeat phrases such as "my arms are heavy" or "my heartbeat is calm and steady." Over time, these phrases are meant to bring on feelings of warmth, heaviness, and deep calm. People practice it on their own, in classes, or with guided recordings and apps.

How it works

Autogenic training is thought to work by calming the body's stress response. When you feel stressed, your nervous system speeds up your heart rate, tightens muscles, and raises blood pressure. This is sometimes called the "fight-or-flight" response.

The repeated, focused phrases used in autogenic training are meant to shift the body toward a more relaxed state, often called the "rest-and-digest" response. This may slow the heart rate, ease muscle tension, and create a sense of warmth and heaviness in the limbs.

Because it is a learned mental skill rather than a drug, its effects depend a lot on regular practice. There are no active chemical compounds involved—the technique relies entirely on your attention and repeated practice.

Effectiveness

Does Autogenic Training work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 26 uses evaluated

26 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

For Autogenic Training, current evidence isn’t strong enough to rate any specific use. The conditions it has been studied for are listed below.

Also studied for 26 conditions — evidence insufficient to rate

Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Angina