Insomnia Cont. Can Self Hypnosis Help?

Can self-hypnosis help me if I am finding it really difficult to get off to sleep?

Firstly don’t imagine that self-hypnosis is going to put you into a zombie like state! All it does is help you to relax and put you in a calm state of mind, whereby you can still hear and feel everything that is going on around you.

I have personally used this method for years whenever I have had difficulty in getting off to sleep and it rarely lets me down.

Use your strong imagination. E.G. If I said there was an elephant sitting on your windowsill, using a telephone, you might now have a problem getting that image out of your mind? :-)

The whole idea is for you to imagine such a strong picture, that it takes your mind off any worries, plans or concerns which maybe on your mind at a time when you should have a restful mind.

Here’s what I do: I imagine that I am going down a spiral staircase in a theatre after seeing a show. There are thick carpets and a polished brass handrail on the walls, which in my case just happen to be a dark burgundy colour. (I imagine a spiral staircase because I can never see or reach the bottom.)

Laying perfectly still, be aware of your breathing pattern and feel your breaths slowly exhaling, and at the same time try to see if you can feel your heart beating.

Now with each breath slowly out, step slowly down one step at a time, at the same time relaxing yourself with each step you go down. At the same time feel the muscles in your shoulders, arms legs etc. relaxing. Now you must keep concentrating on going down each step one at a time and not let your mind wander onto any other thoughts.

Yes, your mind will wander possibly several times, but you must then keep bringing it back to your imaginary picture of going down the stairs. Simply by doing this, you will not be concentrating on what may or may not happen tomorrow or at some time in the future! You will gradually learn to keep bring your mind back to going down the stairs. Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate!

I can often go down just 3 or 4 imaginary steps before I fall asleep.

Remember what I said about the Elephant… It must be done using a very strong imaginary picture built up in your mind. The more vivid, the better!

Good luck,

Roger