Bodytime - An interdisciplinary inquiry on regular body rhythm and its dysfunctions

A phenomenological approach can detect new aspects of the human body unseen by life sciences, presupposed that the body is focused on as embodied ego (dimension of lived body / Leib). Moreover, the change from the predominant phenomenological perspective on lived body related to space, to the less common perspective related to time, can reveal phenomena not yet sufficiently studied. To study the body in the given mode of lived body, embodied ego and one`s own body allows temporal phenomena specific to human beings to be recognized in contrast to other animate beings. The phenomenological attempt to investigate temporal aspects of the lived human body is well advised to cooperate trans- and interdisciplinarily with other disciplines like sport science (sport pedagogy) or phenomenologically orientated psychotherapy. Their attempts to explore new therapies actually discovered "body time" and its dysfunctions as an important clue to improve the situation of people with burnout syndrome. Consequently, sport science (sport pedagogy) is advised to cooperate interdisciplinarily with phenomenologically orientated philosophy. The cooperation of these two disciplines is a most promising approach, giving deeper insights into the philosophical problem of time of one`s own body. The methods of analyzing body movement especially according to dance therapy provide access to time conditions of individual and personal lived bodies. The most important results to be expected of the interdisciplinary research work of phenomenological philosophy as well as sport science (sport pedagogy) will provide more knowledge about the relationship between conscious and preconscious human time and to find new temporal aspects of human bodiliness. This will help to improve the philosophical theories of anthropology and to understand the underlying processes of burnout syndrome better. In the long run findings of this project are even likely to influence prophylactic and therapeutic actions linked to burnout and other mental diseases where the perception of time plays a crucial role. Interdisciplinary work of phenomenological philosophy and sport science (sport pedagogy) concerning body time in burnout disease generates added values for both disciplines. Phenomenological research profits by the new phenomena of bodily self-experience discovered by sport science (sport pedagogy), by distinguishing between passive (pathical) and pathological time schemes that become manifest in the problem of body time including otherness and by the sport science`s focus on dysfunctional preconscious memory that is situated in lived bodies. On the other hand sport science can benefit from phenomenology`s aid in formation and development of anthropological concepts of the theory of burnout syndrome, from the phenomenological differentiation concerning the problem of body time and from the consequential support that can help develop therapy approaches towards treating burnout syndrome.

The initial thesis of the project was that one`s own bodytime reaches beyond the time of consciousness. Within the scope of the project, some approaches to such a time were worked out within the framework of phenomenological approaches to the body and were located within phenomenological body theories. Thus, it became apparent that a philosophy of the body is obliged to consider the proper time of the body beyond its aspects of space. In particular analyses of the phenomena of exhaustion, tiredness, awakening, touching, shame or aging, the general theses could be verified and proved philosophically. In addition, it was necessary to bridge these philosophical guidelines to research on burnout by drawing conceptual and methodological conclusions and by laying foundations of the scientific theory corresponding to concrete empirical research. This endeavor was carried out by an interdisciplinary cooperation with colleagues from medicine and movement therapy at two burnout clinics. In this way, starting points formed the ground for the research done mainly by the sports science partners in cooperation with movement therapists at the two burnout clinics. The following results were confirmed: One of the essential basic parameters for the orientation and self-organization of humans is the experience of time or the developing of an own rhythm, both on the biological level (e.g. heart rhythm, sleep rhythm) as well as on the behavior level (e.g. rhythm of activity and regeneration) as well as on the level of body experience, body expression and movement (e.g. calm/hectic body expression, slow/fast movements). The aim of the project was to analyze the derailment of these levels in people who suffer from burnout compared to healthy individuals. By means of a video analysis of the movement behavior, a four-week diary and a body image test, patients showed, for example, a lack of rhythm variability and flexibility as well as a lack of the inward urge of movement. In addition, there were nervous, slowed down or lethargic movements, a predominantly negative body reference, a dysregulated body image and a tendency to focus on other people. These results can be interpreted as a deficit of body perception as well as a deficit of self-organized movement behavior. On the other hand, movement therapy interventions based on time and rhythm can promise not only success in healing, but also in the prevention of the burnout syndrome. Therefore, in addition to the scientific publications, a training book containing preventive and rehabilitative movement interventions was developed.