Does Sleep Hypnosis Work? The Benefits of Sleep Hypnosis for Insomnia
Are you one of the estimated 33 – 45% of Australian adults who does not get enough sleep? If you struggle with insomnia or regularly miss out on a restful night of sleep, you may be experiencing fatigue, lack of concentration, and mental burnout.
Fortunately, sleep hypnosis can be a powerful, natural tool for improving sleep quality, reducing anxiety, and supporting overall well-being.
Read on to learn what sleep hypnosis is, why hypnotherapy for sleep can help you overcome insomnia, and how to get started with sleep hypnosis.
What Is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterised by difficulty sleeping. Insomnia can be a result of a variety of underlying causes, including certain medications, poor sleep habits, anxiety, or depression.
In desperation, many insomnia sufferers become reliant on alcohol, sleep aids, or other unhealthy band-aid methods to help them sleep. Even natural sleep aids such as melatonin can lead to various health side effects. At Stellar Hypnotherapy, we believe in treating the core of sleep issues as opposed to just covering up the symptoms.
What Is Sleep Hypnosis?
With age, the time we spend sleeping and the quality of our sleep declines. This can lead to a variety of unwanted health effects and issues.
Side effects of lack of sleep include:
- Irritability and moodiness
- Lack of motivation
- Forgetfulness
- Decreased ability to concentrate
- Learning difficulties
- Increased appetite
- Reduced sex drive
- Future health issues
- Reduced immune function
Sleep hypnosis aims to shift the subconscious mind, provide tools for managing anxiety and stress, and cue the body to relax at bedtime to get a better night of sleep — naturally.
Sleep hypnosis sessions with a licensed hypnotherapist involve a variety of techniques, including visualisations, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and guided sleep sessions.
During hypnosis for sleep sessions, a hypnotherapist will help you transition to a trance-like state where you are completely in control but more open to positive suggestions.
Can Hypnosis Help With Sleep?
Although more research is needed, some studies show that hypnosis may be an effective tool for improving sleep.
Sleep hypnosis is believed to work by helping to ease an overactive mind and promote a relaxed state that supports a more restful night of sleep.
Potential benefits of sleep hypnosis include:
- Induce deep sleep
- Free of side effects
- Overcome excessive thinking and racing thoughts
- Calm the mind and ‘turn it off so you can sleep peacefully
- Teach you how to relax easier at bedtime
- Wake up refreshed and energised
- Learn natural ways to manage stress and anxiety
Does Sleep Hypnosis Work?
Hypnosis has been shown to offer significant therapeutic potential for insomnia and sleep issues. To get a good night of sleep, the mind needs to be relaxed and calm. Sleep hypnosis can help individuals learn to access this calm, relaxed state of mind easier and shut off overactive thoughts so they can fall asleep faster and stay asleep.
Both chronic and acute insomnia sufferers may benefit from sleep hypnosis. Unlike sleeping aids that can cause various side effects, including digestive issues, dizziness, dependency, headaches, and memory loss, hypnosis is a natural solution for better sleep.
As it is free of side effects, hypnosis for sleep can provide a sustainable, long-term solution for improved sleep quality.
Sleep hypnosis works by influencing the body and mind to help:
- Manage stress levels naturally
- Cue the body to relax
- Facilitate a calmer mind throughout the day and especially before bed
- Reprogram your subconscious mind to make it easier for you to access a relaxed, calm state before bed
Sleep Hypnosis for Anxiety
If you’ve struggled to fall asleep because of a racing mind, sleep hypnosis can help you learn to quiet your mind and settle down for a peaceful night of sleep.
Along with sleep hypnosis for anxiety, here are some other tips for better sleep:
- Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
- Follow a calming bedtime routine (reading a book, a warm bath, meditation, breathing techniques, etc.)
- Avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime, but ideally at least 8 hours before going to sleep
- Avoid heavy foods before bed
- Limit daytime napping
- Exercise consistently
- Take steps to manage stress and worries
- Use blackout shades to create a dark space for sleeping and turn off light-emitting devices
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet and at a comfortable temperature
- Limit alcohol consumption
How Many Sessions of Sleep Hypnosis Does It Take to See a Difference?
While some clients report feeling an improvement after 2 sessions of hypnotherapy for sleep, we typically recommend a total of 3 sleep hypnosis sessions spaced out every 2 weeks. If needed, an additional hypnotherapy session can be scheduled.
We work closely with each of our clients to determine the ideal treatment route for their specific needs and situation. We’ll ensure you receive the most efficient and effective treatment to overcome your sleep issues as fast as possible.
Can Sleep Hypnosis Help Me?
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important steps in staying healthy and feeling good. If you are struggling to get enough sleep, sleep hypnosis may be an effective way to resolve your insomnia and sleep issues.
There are a variety of sleep hypnosis techniques that can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep. We’ll create a customised program to get you feeling better as quickly as possible.
We invite you to contact us with any questions, book a free clarity call, or schedule your sleep hypnosis session with our Licensed Hypnotherapist.