Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Over the Counter Sleeps Aids or Hypnosis - Which is More Effective?



Can hypnosis be a replacement for sleeping pills?

“Can hypnosis help me sleep better at night?”

That is the number one question I am asked by attendees at the health/wellness version of my Hypnotic Experience show.

It’s understandable.  Surveys indicate that nearly half of all Americans report some form of insomnia each year.  That’s a stunning number. 

Many of the sleep deprived turn to over-the-counter aids in a quest for a restful night of rest.  Do those remedies work?

That’s the question columnist Jill Adams sought to answer in her recent column entitled “Can’t fall asleep?  Over-the-counter aids have a mixed record.”  Here’s a link to the article, which is worth the read.

In the article, Vivek Jain, who directs the Center for Sleep Disorders at George Washington University Hospital, cites the lack of benefit and the risk of side effects when evaluating sleep aids.

Jain says, “There is no good reason to take these.  Ever.” 

The practice of self-hypnosis can be an effective tool to remedy the occasional bout of insomnia.  It can help a person quiet their mind, calm their nerves and, perhaps most important, create the expectation of a peaceful night of soothing slumber. 

Personally, one of my goals when I learned hypnosis was to condition myself to function at a high level with six hours of rest each night.  Within three months I was able to hit that mark, which has given me more time to invest in family, work and performing.

The Web site Wikihow published a good introductory tutorial on a hypnotic process for sleep.  You can check it out here.

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