Does Self Hypnosis Work for Insomnia -- Some Thoughts On Using Self Hypnosis for Sleep

Does self hypnosis work for insomnia? Well, that depends -- first of all on how well you respond to it in the first place, and secondly, how skilled you are at putting yourself in the state of mind that is necessary for success.

How Self Hypnosis Can Help

Learning self hypnosis is a good way to speed up the habit-changing process. The challenge is to learn how to do it properly and have the results you want.

Even when done by a professional hypnotherapist, hypnosis is not a miraculous cure-all to every known problem, as some people might claim. But if you are already committed to changing your thoughts and behavior, hypnosis can give you a boost in that direction.

How Does Self Hypnosis Work for Insomnia?

Hypnosis usually refers to the process of being directed into a "trance state" during which you become more open to the power of suggestion than you are in your normal everyday life.

When you are the one who puts yourself into this relaxed state and also the one who is doing the suggesting, it is called self-hypnosis.

It is not difficult to put yourself into a relaxed state so that you begin to accept suggestions made to you on a deeper level. But like anything else, you get better at it the more you do it. To practice something on a daily basis does require some discipline. But the payoff is well worth it.

Basic Self Hypnosis Instruction -- Step One

Hypnosis, in simplest terms, is a three-step process. The first step is called induction. It is the method by which you put yourself into the trance state and is usually a multistep process in itself.

Induction takes as long as is necessary to bring you slowly from your present state into the deepest trance you can manage by yourself. There are many ways it can work, and the best inductions are customized to the individual. It's difficult to know how to do this on your own, however, so most people who attempt self-hypnosis use a script that has already been written or recorded for them. And most scripts use a combination of visualization and body self awareness.

So your basic self hypnosis instruction would include possibly walking down a series of steps (visualization), and feeling yourself relax more and more with each step downward (body self-awareness).

It would also most likely contain instructions for breathing -- for example taking a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds, then letting it go and allowing your body to relax more and more with each exhalation (again self awareness).

But there are many different induction techniques, and you may have to try several before you get the one that gets you into the most effective state of mind.

The Next Step in Basic Self Hypnosis for Sleep

The next step in the process once you're in that relaxed, trance-like state, open to new ideas, is to give yourself the helpful suggestions that have the most chance of working for you. Again, on your own you might not know for sure what suggestions will be most effective, but through trial and error you can find out.

If sleep anxiety is your main issue, you can give yourself calming suggestions to better accept your sleepless state while you are working on getting back to a normal sleep schedule.

If hyperarousal of the nervous system is your biggest problem, you can give yourself suggestions and visualizations on restoring balance and calm in your mind-body systems.

If you don't know the cause of your insomnia, you can just give yourself suggestions toward a feeling of peace and to allow yourself to let go of the each day's activities as soon as you get into bed.

The Third Step in Self Hypnosis Instruction

Finally, you will bring yourself out of your deeply relaxed, suggestible state. You generally do this gradually over a count of five or more. You can reverse the staircase visualization you may have used for induction, walking up this time, and growing more alert and awake with each step. When you reach the top, you are fully back to an alert, conscious state, and can open your eyes and go about your business.

How Quickly Does Self Hypnosis Work for Insomnia?

So I imagine you're wondering how quickly you can get results from self hypnosis for insomnia? Again, it all depends on the quality of your trance and the effectiveness of the self-suggestions. If you are new to self hypnosis, It's best to start with a prerecorded hypnosis download or CD for sleep. Once you understand the basic three-step process, and you think you can make some improvements, you can record your own self-hypnosis sessions that are more customized to your own particular type of insomnia.

You may also want to consult with a professional. A well trained hypnotherapist is well-worth the cost if you can get substantial improvement in your sleep in a short period of time.

Try these two hypnosis downloads for a quick-and-easy introduction to self hypnosis for sleep.

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