Hypnotherapy for insomnia

Hypnotherapy can help with difficulty falling asleep, worry about being awake and tension that keeps you alert at bedtime. I use hypnosis to change expectations about sleep and develop a more restful response to bed and night-time waking. We also discuss habits and any health problems that affect your sleep.

Hypnosis uses focused attention, therapeutic suggestions and imagery to help you settle physically and change the thoughts associated with lying awake. For example, we can address the expectation that a bad night will ruin tomorrow, alongside suggestions for comfort, sleepiness and returning to sleep after waking.

Yes. Sleep anxiety can make bedtime feel like a test: you monitor the clock, calculate the hours left and become more alert as you try harder to sleep. I use hypnosis to change those expectations and reduce the pressure surrounding sleep, rather than ask you to force yourself to switch off.

You can seek hypnotherapy even if sleep has been difficult for years. We look at what keeps the insomnia going now, including night-time worry, learned expectations and daily routines. Tell me about any diagnosis, previous sleep treatment and medication so we can discuss an appropriate plan.

Yes. A 2023 systematic review examined 44 studies and described hypnotherapy for sleep disturbance as promising, with positive, mixed and null findings across the research. An earlier 2018 review reached a similarly encouraging but qualified conclusion. Neither provides a guaranteed result or a fixed session count for an individual.

CBT-I is cognitive behavioural therapy specifically designed for insomnia and is an established treatment for persistent sleep problems. Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis and therapeutic suggestions to address sleep-related thoughts and reactions. Tell me if you are having CBT-I so we can discuss how hypnosis would fit alongside it. The NHS explains insomnia treatment here.

An individual hypnotherapy appointment includes a discussion about your sleep, your health and the difficulties you want help with, followed by hypnosis. A general recording cannot provide that assessment or adapt to your circumstances. Recordings are useful for practice between appointments and are part of the service I offer.

Hypnosis can address automatic associations, such as becoming tense when you get into bed or expecting hours of wakefulness after checking the clock. I use suggestions and rehearsal to help change those responses. We also work on the beliefs that add pressure, such as needing a perfect night to function tomorrow.

Hypnosis can help reduce the physical tension and mental activity that keep you awake. Suggestions can focus on comfort, heaviness and allowing sleep to happen, while we address the worry that bedtime means another struggle. We also discuss your sleep schedule and anything else that is interfering with settling at night.

If you wake and immediately start worrying or checking the time, hypnotherapy can help change that reaction. I use suggestions for rest and returning to sleep, alongside work on the fear of being awake. We also consider why you are waking, including night sweats, discomfort or other symptoms worth discussing with your GP.

Hypnotherapy can help with worry and alertness after early waking, particularly when you immediately begin thinking about the day ahead. Tell me when you go to bed, when you wake and how you feel during the day. That helps us consider your overall sleep schedule and whether another assessment would be useful.

Yes. I use hypnosis to help change the automatic habit of planning, problem-solving or replaying the day when you lie down. Suggestions and imagery can help you redirect attention towards rest. We can also address daytime anxiety and the belief that you must resolve every worry before you are allowed to sleep.

Yes. If bed has become associated with frustration and watching the clock, hypnosis can help change that expectation. I use imagery and therapeutic suggestions to rehearse a more comfortable bedtime experience, alongside changes that reduce the pressure to achieve sleep immediately.

Tiredness and feeling sleepy are not always the same. Worry, tension, stimulants, an irregular schedule or other health problems can interfere with sleep even when you feel drained. In hypnotherapy, we can address stress and sleep-related expectations while discussing the other factors affecting your nights.

Hypnotherapy can help with the anxiety and alertness that keep you awake after a hot flush or night sweat. Tell me whether temperature changes, worry or both are disturbing your nights. My menopause and perimenopause page explains the approach and links to clinical hypnosis research for hot flushes. You can discuss HRT and other treatment options with your GP alongside this work.

Sleep apnoea and restless legs need assessment and condition-specific treatment. Hypnotherapy can address accompanying anxiety or difficulty settling, but it does not replace that care. Tell your GP about symptoms such as gasping during sleep, loud snoring with pauses in breathing, or uncomfortable leg sensations that disturb your nights.

We talk about your sleep schedule, night-time waking, daytime tiredness, your health and any treatment you are having. I explain the approach I recommend and answer your questions. The first appointment includes hypnosis, as well as time to discuss your sleep.

That depends on your sleep difficulties, their causes, any other conditions and how you respond. I discuss a plan with you and review it as we see what changes. Persistent insomnia and a short period of sleep-related worry can need different approaches; there is no fixed session count that suits everyone.

Some people notice an improvement after an early session, while others need several appointments and practice at home. We look at whether you settle more easily, spend less time worrying while awake and feel better during the day. A run of perfect nights is not the only useful sign of progress.

You do not need to fall asleep for the session to be useful. Hypnosis usually involves being absorbed in my voice or the experience I am guiding. Some people feel very relaxed or drift in and out of attention. The treatment is about helping your sleep outside the appointment.

Yes. You do not need to empty your mind before hypnosis. I can adjust the pace and use different ways of directing your attention. A busy mind, frustration or worry about relaxing are things we can take into account during the session.

Yes. After each appointment, you receive the personalised recording of that session. You can listen at bedtime or at another agreed time to reinforce the suggestions and techniques we have used together. I explain how to use it. Listen somewhere comfortable and safe, never while driving or doing anything that needs your full attention.

Alongside recordings, we can agree changes relevant to your sleep, such as reducing clock-checking or keeping a more consistent routine. I explain what each change is for. We discuss what you have noticed at the next session, rather than give you a long list of rules without following up.

We can look at how long you spend awake, how often you wake, how you respond when you do and how rested you feel during the day. A simple sleep diary can help identify changes without relying on one difficult night. We review the overall picture at appointments.

I offer one-to-one insomnia hypnotherapy at City Hypnotherapy Centre, Longcroft House, 2–8 Victoria Avenue, London EC2M 4NS, near Liverpool Street station. You can also choose online appointments. Contact me to ask about availability and which format you prefer.

Yes. I offer individual insomnia hypnotherapy sessions by Zoom. You need a quiet, private room, a reliable connection and a phone, tablet or computer. Online appointments include the conversation and hypnosis, with the same opportunity to discuss the insomnia you want help with.

An insomnia hypnotherapy session costs £198 including VAT and lasts approximately 50 minutes. Your first appointment includes hypnosis as well as the consultation. After each session, you receive the personalised recording to use between appointments. See my fees and appointments page for full booking information.

Tell me what you take, how often and who prescribes it. We can discuss hypnotherapy alongside your current treatment. Keep taking medication as directed; any reduction or change should be planned with your prescribing clinician. I do not ask you to stop prescribed sleeping medication before having hypnosis.

Tell me what therapy you are receiving and what you are working on. We can discuss whether adding hypnosis would be useful and how the approaches would fit together. If you are under the care of a mental health team, please mention that before we arrange treatment.

I have a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, a Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma and the Senior Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice. I established City Hypnotherapy Centre in 2003 and am registered with the CNHC and GHR. You can read more on my experience and qualifications page.

Yes. I offer appointments near Liverpool Street and by Zoom. Both formats include a discussion about your sleep and hypnosis. Let me know which you prefer when you enquire. If you would like to change format later, we can discuss availability.

Yes. You can send an enquiry or call 07973 896907. Briefly explain what you want help with, any current treatment and whether you prefer London or online sessions. I can answer questions about my approach before you decide whether to book.

Look for recognised qualifications, experience with sleep problems and a clear explanation of the approach. A good conversation should cover your sleep pattern, health, current treatment and what you want to change. It matters that you feel comfortable with the person. You can read about my experience and contact me before deciding whether to book.

There is no single best hypnotherapist for everyone. Qualifications and relevant experience matter, and so does rapport: you need to feel listened to and comfortable with the way someone works. My free hypnosis audio lets you hear my voice and approach. You are also welcome to contact me to discuss your sleep before choosing.

Yes. You can try my free 30-minute relaxation audio to hear my voice and experience a guided session. It is a general recording, while individual insomnia sessions are tailored to your sleep difficulties. Listen when you can rest safely and give it your attention. You do not have to fall asleep or relax perfectly for it to be a useful introduction.

Yes. Hypnotherapy can address the pressure to sleep perfectly before an interview, presentation, journey or busy day. In hypnosis, we work with predictions such as “I won’t cope tomorrow” and rehearse approaching bedtime without monitoring every minute. If anxiety about the event itself is keeping you awake, that can be part of the session too.

Hypnotherapy can address tension and worry when you have an opportunity to sleep, but changing shifts also affects your body clock. Tell me about your rota and whether you feel sleepy at work or while travelling. We can discuss the psychological side of sleep alongside practical or medical advice about shift work, rather than assume hypnosis will override an unsuitable sleep schedule.

Hypnotherapy can help with the worry and checking habit when a sleep score starts deciding how you expect to feel. We can work on trusting your experience of the night and paying less attention to every number. If monitoring has become another source of pressure, we can discuss a simpler way of reviewing your sleep that does not keep you focused on it all day.

No. The recording is a way to practise and reinforce the work from your appointments, not something you must depend on indefinitely. We agree how to use it and review what helps. As your confidence around sleep improves, you can decide with me when to listen regularly and when to keep it available for more stressful periods.

One difficult night does not mean all your progress has gone. We can prepare for this in hypnosis, including how you respond the next morning and what you tell yourself about the following night. The goal is to avoid turning a temporary disruption into renewed dread of bedtime. If the pattern persists or new symptoms appear, we review what has changed and whether medical advice is needed.