Using hypnotherapy for insomnia
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Sleeping problems are common, and we all get a bad night’s sleep occasionally, but for someone with insomnia, they can experience this all too often.
You may find it hard to sleep as your mind races with thoughts of what’s been happening. You can’t switch off and your mind is thinking of what you need to do tomorrow, or maybe you wake up several times through the night and struggle to get back to sleep. You lie awake for long periods of time, which leads you to feel frustrated and anxious, or perhaps you lie awake waiting for that alarm to go off. All of which leads to you feeling tired and irritable the next day.
How does insomnia take hold?
Some people will suffer from just one of these problems while others will have the whole package.
Insomnia can come and go in our lives and not have a major impact on us, but if it lasts months or years, then this is when it starts to cause a real problem and can affect your health and day-to-day function.
Insomnia affects millions of people worldwide. It can have a significant impact on your quality of life. In severe cases leading to anxiety and depression. Many people turn to medication to help them sleep but there are other ways.
In general, insomnia is caused by an underlying anxiety, which could be about anything; financial worries, relationships, job, self-esteem or health.
How does hypnotherapy for Insomnia help?
Hypnotherapy helps address the psychological causes of anxiety and depression. It can help you to relax so you are more likely to fall asleep which, in turn, will help you return to a healthy sleep routine.
Have you found trying to fall asleep is impossible? Did you end up lying in bed wide awake, trying to sleep? That is because sleep is NOT a conscious activity.
“Trying to sleep is like trying to digest a meal.“
Trying to go to sleep is a conscious activity, controlled by your conscious mind. Trying to sleep is like trying to digest a meal. You have no conscious control over how fast or slow digestion takes place. It happens at a rate determined by your subconscious mind. Sleep is controlled by your subconscious mind, so trying to sleep will never work.
Hypnosis gives your conscious mind something else to focus on. This stops you from trying to sleep, so your subconscious mind can start the sleep phase. It also helps get to the root of the problem and offers your subconscious mind positive suggestions to help you overcome the issues that cause you to worry.
Hypnotherapy will help you to relax and release the physical and mental tensions stopping you from entering the sleep phase. You can then resolve whatever issue has been causing you to worry and allow your conscious mind to switch off. This then gives your subconscious mind the freedom to deal with the underlying issues that have been causing you to stay awake.
Evidence
Research has shown that hypnotherapy can help improve sleep quality and reduce the symptoms of insomnia. A study published in the Journal of Sleep Research found that hypnotherapy was more effective than a placebo in treating insomnia. Participants who received hypnotherapy had a significant reduction in the time it took to fall asleep and an increase in the total amount of time slept.
Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that hypnotherapy was effective in reducing symptoms of insomnia in individuals with chronic insomnia. Participants who received hypnotherapy had a significant improvement in sleep quality and a reduction in the number of awakenings during the night.
- Journal of Sleep Research, “Hypnotherapy for insomnia: a randomized controlled trial
- Journal of Clinical Psychology, “Hypnotherapy for chronic insomnia: a randomized controlled trial
Can hypnotherapy for insomnia help?
Hypnotherapy for insomnia is a safe and effective treatment to help you get a good night’s sleep. When in a deep state of relaxation known as hypnosis you will be more receptive to positive suggestions.
During a hypnotherapy session, I will guide you into a state of deep relaxation, giving you positive suggestions to sleep better. By giving you positive suggestions, it will help you to develop new healthier sleep patterns. It can also help you to overcome any negative thoughts and beliefs you may have about sleep. If, for example, you believe you cannot sleep without needing medication or alcohol, hypnotherapy can help you overcome this belief and help you learn that you can fall asleep naturally without needing to take anything.
Making simple adjustments to your sleeping habits can have positive effects on your physical and mental well-being, helping you feel more relaxed and refreshed for the day ahead.
The worry may be about work. Hypnotherapy will help you resolve the issues in a positive way, so you no longer worry, or maybe you don’t know the reason that’s causing it. Hypnotherapy will allow you to connect with your subconscious mind so you can become aware of the issue, so then it can be dealt with.
It is worth noting that hypnotherapy isn’t a quick fix, it takes time and effort to see improvements and may require a few sessions to achieve, good quality, restful sleep.