Sleep, Relaxation, Hypnagogia
Free 30 Minute Relaxation Session via Zoom Sunday May 8th 9.00 - 9.30 p.m. BST
Some years ago, I used to teach short self-hypnosis courses - 2 hour sessions over 3 weeks. I taught people how to put themselves into a self-hypnotic state and how to use it to make the changes they wanted. Usually, it would be some skill they wanted to improve, some anxiety they wanted to relieve or some goal they wanted to reach.
They would go home and practise every day until the next class. At one of the sessions, one of the participants reported that he was sleeping better. This was an unexpected outcome for him as he was not working on his sleep difficulties.
When I work with people who are experiencing sleep issues, it often takes a while before they slip into a hypnotic state. Anyone who has problems sleeping knows that their nervous system is a bit ‘wired‘, which explains this phenomenon.
The state of hypnosis is akin to the pre-sleep state and is known as the hypnagogic state. The dictionary definition of hypnagogic means relating to the state immediately preceding sleep. ‘Hypnos’ was in fact the Greek god of sleep. The state of hypnosis is often described as being that which precedes sleep. When you practise self-hypnosis therefore, you are regularly accessing this pre-sleep state.
One of the things I do when I work with someone with sleep difficulties is teach them self-hypnosis so they can re-train their nervous systems to be able to reach this pre-sleep state. It contributes to their ease in reaching this state when they go to bed, for you have to be able to pass through this state in order to go to sleep.
Learning to relax deeply can also influence the ability to reach this pre-sleep state. Being able to relax positively affects what is known as the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of the nervous system, often termed the ‘holiday nervous system’ that allows the body mind to repair and rejuvenate.
We are not designed to be mentally and physically active at all times and in fact, when we take short periods of relaxation throughout the day, we can maximise the way we function. Being in a state of stress reduces our ability to access and utilise our inner resources. You can read more about that in this blog post.
When I do my relaxation sessions on a Sunday evening, I use guided imagery as part of the session. This enables you to take your mind away from current worries and concerns and absorb it in something more peaceful. In this way you give your nervous system some respite. Many people reach a level of relaxation similar to the hypnagogic state and so it is just possible, that you will sleep well afterwards. Many say they do.