Hypnotherapy can be more successful than sleeping pills for sleep, without the undesired side effects or long-term health risks.
Hypnotherapy targets the problem at the source.
Book a free 15-min phone consultation, or send me an email or WhatsApp to learn more.
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Sleepless nights can be frightening.
The feelings of helplessness grow as your intention to sleep cannot be realised, no matter what you try.
The more you read about sleep, the worse it gets, as you discover the effects of not sleeping enough.
Most of us have experienced this at some point in life, and I have been there.
Hypnotherapy changed my life, and that is how I know it can change your life too.
Caroline G. Silvestre BSc, MSc, Dip. GMBPsS GQHP MHS
Stop taking sleeping pills as hypnosis is the best alternative to sleeping better.
Sleep happens as a result of a chain of physiological events that happen autonomously and involuntary.
Sleep is regulated by many factors, including light/ shadow cycles, ability to relax and “let go”, food intake, caffeine, sound, etc.
Some factors are external and you can control, but some are internal and less easy to access.
Hypnotherapy can be effective in addressing emotional, cognitive, or behavioural factors contributing to sleep difficulties.
A hypnotherapist has a range of techniques to help identify and improve beliefs and thought patterns to enable better sleep, while also teaching you the skills you need to allow yourself to manage your sleep better.
Hypnotherapy will help you sleep better by identifying the causes of sleep problems (ideas, attitudes, habits) and addressing them. It also helps the development of relaxation and self-hypnosis skills.
CBT was shown to be more effective than prescription sleep medicine in treating persistent insomnia in a recent Harvard Medical School research. Patients’ ability to fall asleep and stay asleep improved the most with CBT and the advantages lasted a year after therapy finished.
If you have a sleep condition, therapy may be able to help you calm your mind, shift your perspective, modify your everyday routines, and get a decent night’s sleep.
A sleep disorder is a condition where a person feels they can never get enough sleep, feel tired or drowsy during the day, often staying awake until very late at night. Insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome (RLS), and circadian rhythm sleep disorders are the most prevalent sleep disorders.
The most extensively used treatment for sleep disturbances is cognitive-behavioral therapy. Hypnosis is then added to the treatment to reinforce suggestions, increase relaxation and self-awareness. The self-hypnosis skills I teach to clients are also extremely powerful for better sleep.
A thorough examination will help establish why your sleep is being disrupted, and together we employ a variety of therapy strategies.
Several parts of the brain are involved in regulating sleep. Some of the key areas include:
Hypothalamus: This area contains the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), often referred to as the “master clock.” The SCN regulates the body’s circadian rhythms, helping to synchronize sleep-wake cycles with the external light-dark cycle.
Pineal Gland: The pineal gland produces melatonin, a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating sleep-wake patterns. It responds to signals from the SCN and helps control the body’s internal clock.
Brainstem: The brainstem contains the reticular activating system (RAS), which is responsible for promoting wakefulness and arousal. The RAS also plays a role in transitioning between different stages of sleep.
Thalamus: The thalamus relays sensory information to the cortex, including signals related to sleep. It helps regulate the transition between different sleep stages.
Basal Forebrain: This area is involved in promoting slow-wave sleep and maintaining sleep throughout the night. It releases neurotransmitters that contribute to the generation of deep sleep.
Amygdala and Hippocampus: These areas are associated with emotions and memory. They can impact sleep quality by influencing dreams, nightmares, and emotional content pre/during sleep.
Cortex: Different parts of the cortex play a role in different stages of sleep, including REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep. The frontal cortex, for example, is involved in REM sleep, which is associated with dreaming.
These brain regions work together to regulate the complex processes of falling asleep, staying asleep, and transitioning through different sleep stages. Disruptions or imbalances in these areas can lead to sleep disorders or disturbances in sleep patterns.
Since Sleep is a cycle, any area can disrupt the cycle and cause a cascade effect.
Hypnotherapy works mostly on the Amygdala / Hippocampus to help regulate the body to enable restorative sleep.
C. was a 35 year-old female who struggled to fall asleep. She would lay in bed awake for hours, and fall asleep only a few hours from waking-up time. The problem would come and go, but researching sleep fixes only made her more nervous about sleep.
She found hypnosis audios helped her sleep and listened to them most nights. They helped her relax, but she would wake up extremely early instead.
C. is me. I struggled for years until I went to a hypnotherapist to help me pass my driving exam – which I did.
That is when I realised the power of having someone there with me to guide me, to see me, and by doing that help me understand myself, my fears, my drives.
I finally realised many things about my life that were keeping me awake at night, stressed, and worried. Chronic stress can be hard to identify and will be burning off on low heat in the background – and that is what I realised and addressed.
Every person is unique and as such there is no one-solution fits all. Having someone there with you to help you identify your particular needs can make a world of difference – so reach out today for a chat on how I can help.
A 90-min session with me is £150.
A block of 3x 90-min sessions is £360.
For those on low income, benefits, or NHS staff, I offer 60-min sessions for £65.
This is a list from the book “Why we sleep” by Matthew Walker:
Stick to a sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Create a bedtime ritual: Establish a relaxing routine before sleep, like reading or taking a warm bath (a bath will help you sleep by relaxing and the cooling-off after).
Optimize your sleep environment: Ensure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Consider a comfortable mattress and pillows. Sleep is better at colder temperatures.
Limit exposure to screens: Reduce exposure to phones, tablets, and computers at least an hour before bedtime due to the blue light they emit.
Be mindful of what you eat and drink: Avoid heavy meals and caffeine after 5pm. *If you are having problems sleeping then cut off caffeine completely for a while*
Get regular exercise: Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, but avoid strenuous exercise close to bedtime.
Manage stress: Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to reduce stress.
Limit naps: If you need to nap during the day, keep it short (20-30 minutes) and before 3pm.
Avoid alcohol and nicotine: These substances can disrupt sleep patterns, so it’s best to avoid them, especially in the hours before bedtime.
Don’t lie in bed awake: If you can’t fall asleep, leave the bedroom and engage in a relaxing activity until you feel sleepy.
Control your exposure to light: Keep your bedroom as dark as possible and minimize exposure to artificial light during the night. A night mask can be wonderful.
Don’t obsess about sleep: Constantly worrying about sleep can make it harder to fall asleep. Try to relax and let sleep come naturally.