Sleep hypnosis could be a potential therapy for sleep disorders, but more research is needed.
The word hypnosis may conjure up images of a mysterious stranger swinging a pocket watch, but it is a form of psychotherapy that allows for a changed state of awareness, according to the Mayo Clinic . Some practitioners use it to treat mental health conditions, sleep issues and pain, or to tackle unhealthy habits such as smoking and overeating.
How does sleep hypnosis work?In order to encourage a patient to enter the state of hypnosis, a practitioner will encourage the person to enter a calm state by speaking in a soothing voice and invoking relaxing images. Breathing exercises are often used to keep the patient focused and avoid distraction. According to the Mayo Clinic , once the patient is calm, the practitioner will help them to visualize meaningful mental images to help them achieve their goals.
Does sleep hypnosis really work?Some research suggests that sleep hypnosis may prolong the amount of time spent in slow wave sleep — also known as deep sleep — helping to improve sleep quality. In a 2014 study in the journal Sleep , participants listened to an auditory text with hypnotic suggestions or a control tape before napping for 90 minutes while high-density electroencephalography was recorded. The researchers found that sleep hypnosis increased slow-wave brain waves by as much as 80%.
A 2018 review in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine also suggests that hypnosis for sleep problems could be a promising treatment. Overall, 58.3% of the 24 included studies reported benefits of hypnosis on sleep outcomes, with 12.5% reporting mixed results and 29.2% reporting no benefit. However, the studies included in the review were small and used low-quality methods that made it hard to identify the effects of sleep hypnosis on sleep quality or duration.
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