Using hypnosis is one of the safest and most popular ways to help those who cannot easily fall asleep enter into deep and relaxing unconscious rest. This natural treatment does not rely on the use of any drugs or other sleep-inducing chemicals or substances, increasing its popularity with those who are looking for an alternative means for getting a full night’s sleep.
Sleep is an important part of everyone’s life, and not getting the correct amount of sleep for your body and lifestyle can have detrimental results on your quality of life and day-to-day activities. While many people often suffer from restlessness and tossing and turning while trying to fall asleep, others turn to hypnosis for a much needed cure. Falling asleep with hypnosis is easy and fast because hypnosis allows the mind to become free of stressful thoughts and instead only focus on falling asleep.
When falling asleep, the mind goes through a set of steps that ultimately lead to unconscious sleep. The first step is thinking about any number of things ranging from what you had for lunch that day to the football game you will watch this weekend. The second step is fantasy, or a set of thoughts that place you in a relaxing atmosphere. Without consciously knowing it, your brain turns to peaceful thoughts. The third step is known as hypnoidal, or a conscious yet very relaxed state. In this state, the mind begins to wander towards sleep and becomes hazy and amnesiac. The final step is of course unconscious sleep.
People who have sleep related problems have difficulty transitioning through the different phases and often spend much more time thinking than they do in the fantasy and hypnoidal phases. This causes a prolonged anxious and alert state, which greatly affects the ability of the mind to enter into a deep sleep. Hypnosis and visualization can alter the way the mind transitions through the phases, resulting in smooth transitions and a faster method of reaching unconscious sleep.
To do self-hypnosis for sleeping issues, it is normally recommended that you first put yourself in the most comfortable position possible in bed. This involves pillows and covers, as well as turning off the lights and blocking out all possible noise. If you are not in a comfortable position, you will be bothered when trying sleep hypnosis and the effects will not be as noticeable.
Next, your mind will begin to focus on one hypnotic induction. Hypnotic inductions vary greatly, so you should choose one that you feel most comfortable and familiar with. For example, some people imagine themselves on a beach, while others imagine themselves walking down a flight of stairs. Imagery and visualization are a very important part of sleep hypnosis, so be sure to choose a hypnotic induction that is in your comfort zone.
An example of a hypnotic induction for sleep hypnosis is to imagine that every muscle in your body is sinking into the bed. You will begin my imagining that the muscles in your toes are sinking into the bed, and then your heels, and then ankles, calves, knee, thighs, etc until you read the very tip of your head. As you are moving up your body, really thinking about how it feels to have those muscles sink into the bed and how the tension in your body is being completely released with each muscle sinking down. Once you are completely relaxed, begin taking deep breathes and counting backwards from 20. Once you reach 10, you should be feeling extremely sleepy. Once you reach 1, you should be asleep.
Many people turn to hypnosis to fall asleep because it puts the mind in a relaxed and positive state. This state of mind normally leads to a better night’s rest, and the ability to fall asleep quickly and soundly. Improving sleep habits is an integral part of getting the correct amount of sleep for your body and lifestyle and improving your overall quality of life.
