Question about using hypnosis to help with insomnia.

Answered by Calvin D. Banyan, MA, CI, BCH

Question:

I have suffered insomnia for as long as I can remember. I believe this was inherited from my mum who suffers the same symptoms.

Please advise me on how you could assist me through hypnosis. I have tried hypnosis before but could not be hypnotized. My mind is always racing and I am a person with both feet firmly on the ground. I guess what I am trying to say is that I am not a dreamer, or believer in fads, unlike some of my friends I am unable to "switch-off" and am a realist by extreme.

I hope you can help and look forward to your response.

L. B.

Answer:

Hello L. B.,

Thanks for your question. Insomnia is one of the easiest things that we work with at our center. We have been 100% successful in working with this issue.

I suggest that you do the following:

  1. Find a qualified hypnotist who is at least National Guild of Hypnotists Certified. Not everyone who calls him or herself a hypnotist can help you. If I were going to work with you I would probably use an instant induction. This type of induction is best for the busy-minded person. In about 4 seconds you are in hypnosis!

  2. I recommend that you work with someone who has advanced training. See the Hypnotist Directory on our web site for some leads (5-PATH and 7th Path Certified Hypnotists are listed there). These individuals have gone beyond certification and are trained in advanced techniques that will be able to help you.

  3. Learn self-hypnosis. There is a natural tendency to fall asleep when tired and doing hypnosis. A skilled hypnotist will first hypnotize you and then teach how to go back into hypnosis on your own.

  4. Most hypnotists can help you to accomplish this. But, I recommend someone who is trained in 7th Path self-hypnosis. 7th Path Self-Hypnosis® will do more than merely relax you and allow you to fall asleep. It will go in and remove the cause of your insomnia. And, you will be able to use 7th Path Self-Hypnosis® to work on any other issues that you want to work on!

  5. We also have a 7th Path workshop on a set of tapes or CDs for those who want to learn this mind-body-spirit approach to self-hypnosis but cannot find someone trained in their area to teach them how.

  6. Be persistent and patient. I can tell you that anyone of normal intelligence who wants to be hypnotized and is willing to follow instructions can be hypnotized.

Hypnosis can help you to sleep better even if there is a genetic component to your problem. As far as hypnosis goes, anything that stress or anxiety makes worse, hypnosis can make better. And, the best thing is that, unlike medications, hypnosis has no negative side effects. Also, once you have learned how to do self-hypnosis you have that skill forever. Unlike medications, you never have to refill you subscription!

I hope that helps,
Cal Banyan, MA