Why Hypnosis Works So Well For Insomnia

ANYONE who has or is suffering with chronic insomnia will tell you that it feels like a form of torture. Over my very many years of working as a hypnotherapist, the topic of insomnia is one of the most prevalent. Although of course it’s always existed, I have noticed that it’s definitely on the rise and has become somewhat of an epidemic. Putting aside any obvious causes, such as stressful circumstances, clinical/medical disorders, psychiatric issues, side effects from medication, diet and countless other possible culprits I have learned a lot about it through my clients who suffer with debilitating insomnia. They have taught me what it truly feels like and how it profoundly impacts their lives. I have listened and come up with effective strategies to help them while under relaxing hypnosis.

For some it starts early in life and persists. For others it comes and goes. Some will describe it as though it appears out of nowhere later in life and takes a relentless grip. The patterns it takes can shift and move but the bottom line is it becomes an all consuming dread and fear of not being able to sleep properly. It literally becomes the fear of fear itself as the anticipated tossing and turning, often lonely and anxiety ridden hours of staring at the ceiling are a familiar and common thread.

The way I approach this with my clients is perhaps a little different than one might expect. I let them know that for whatever reason, at some point their subconscious thought it was not safe to go to sleep. They then literally formed a new habit of not being able to sleep properly. Even when contributing causes have been resolved the pattern of poor or no sleep for nights on end can persist.

The mind will lead and the body will follow. If the problem continues long enough, the habit is formed regardless if there are stressful situations or not causing it. In turn, anxiety will arise and that anxiety perpetuates the problem. Hormones will often start over producing causing physical symptoms to make sleep harder. Again, the mind will lead and the body will follow.

Hypnosis helps profoundly because it will allow the subconscious to be reminded that it is safe to sleep and that the mind and body will work together to break ‘that’ habit and form a new habit. It will not happen overnight; it will be in small increments but can build quite quickly. Using this approach, internal “shifts” will re-organize the mind and body faster than one might think. The subconscious can be reminded of how sleep at one point, however many years or months ago, was easy and natural and the internal, almost cellular memory of that re-installed.

Approaching it at the subconscious level, we can clear the fear of fear itself, the anxiety and anticipation of not being able to sleep.

When chronic insomnia has set in, especially when it’s long-term, the mind and body literally forget how to sleep properly. They simply need to be retrained/reminded and are willing and able to do so with the right suggestions under hypnosis.

I always encourage my clients who are suffering with insomnia to not over analyze. Knowing why and when it started is irrelevant. Trying to backtrack and find the source does little to solve the issue and generally creates more anxiety and distress. I’m talking of-course when medical causes have been out-ruled by their physicians. Always important to just move forward regardless of the past.

So put simply, thinking of this as a habit that got formed for whatever reason which can be broken just like other habits is empowering, encouraging and makes sense. The subconscious can release old habits and form new ones once it considers it safe to do so. With good hypnotherapy, this is easily established without traumatizing or analyzing. My insomnia clients have huge success working with me using this approach. It’s often a concept they have never considered and are surprised by the simplicity of understanding they just need to break a habit and form a new one. It works.

To Your Success.
Vanessa Lindgren, CHT