Treatment of insomnia by relaxation training.

16 students with chronic insomnia were given 2-wk. training in a relaxation technique called Autogenic Training, in an attempt to determine whether this alone would help the insomnia. The study was based on the hypothesis that tension in large skeletal muscles is the necessary and sufficient condition for insomnia, whatever its origin. 13 5s were available for the posttreatment interview. Of these, 11 reported improvement. 2 follow-ups, covering a period of almost 1 yr., showed approximately the same results. With 1 discussed exception, no symptom substitution could be found.