Emotional health
Hypnotherapy for insomnia and poor sleep
Hypnotherapy can help you relax, quieten a racing mind and sleep better, and you leave with self-hypnosis to use every night.
How hypnotherapy helps with insomnia
Hypnotherapy can help you relax and aid sleep. A 2015 meta-analysis found that hypnotherapy shortened the time it took people to fall asleep compared with people who had no treatment (Lam et al., 2015), and a 2018 review in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found positive results in 58% of the 24 studies it looked at (Chamine et al., 2018). The research is still developing, but it points the same way as Tim's experience with clients.
The word hypnosis comes from the Greek hypnos, meaning sleep. Hypnosis itself is not sleep, but the deep relaxation it brings is exactly what a busy, worrying mind needs before it can let go.
Why sleep becomes a struggle
Sleep is not something you can do on purpose. It is what happens when you stop doing. That is why effort backfires: the harder you try, the more alert you become. Worrying about sleep can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you lie in bed wondering whether tonight will be another bad night, the worry itself keeps you awake.
Relaxation alone does not always reach the cause. Poor sleep often goes hand in hand with stress, anxiety and low mood, so Tim works on what keeps your mind busy at night as well as the sleep itself.
What we work on
- Deep relaxation to help a busy mind switch off
- The stress, worry and unresolved issues that surface at night
- Breaking the cycle of dreading bedtime
- Getting back to sleep after waking in the small hours
- A self-hypnosis routine for bedtime
- Mindfulness, so that lying awake feels less distressing
How sessions work
You start with a free 15–30 minute consultation. Sessions then take place in person in Farringdon, central London, or online, which many people with sleep problems find especially comfortable. Each session is tailored to you, using Ericksonian hypnotherapy and NLP, and you take self-hypnosis home to use at night. After 7 hours (usually five sessions), any further sessions for the same issue are £97.50 an hour: see the halve-fees promise.
Why Tim
Tim Dunton has over 20 years' experience and has been training since 2004. He is a member of the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), an Advanced and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist, and a Master Practitioner of NLP trained by its co-founders, Richard Bandler and John Grinder. He has helped celebrities, film producers, sportspeople and business leaders. More about Tim.
Can hypnotherapy help me sleep?
Yes. Hypnotherapy can help you relax and aid sleep, and research reviews have found it can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.
Will I fall asleep in the session?
Occasionally people do, and it does no harm. Most stay pleasantly aware throughout.
Do I need to stop sleeping tablets?
No. Keep taking anything prescribed, and talk to your GP before changing it.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Typical course | Usually around five sessions (7 hours) |
| Session length | 1 hour |
| Format | In person in Farringdon, London EC1, or online |
| First step | Free 15–30 minute consultation |
| Fee | £150 an hour online, £195 in person; see prices |
Hypnotherapy works alongside medical care. Please see your GP about any medical condition, and keep taking prescribed medication unless your doctor advises otherwise.
The research
- Lam TH et al. (2015). Meta-analysis of hypnotherapy for insomnia. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 23(5):719–732. PubMed 26365453
- Chamine I, Atchley R, Oken BS (2018). Systematic review of hypnosis for sleep. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 14(2):271–283. PubMed 29198290
Individual experiences vary. See all psychological problems Tim works with.
Related treatments
A free, no-obligation 15–30 minute call by phone or video. Or call 07975 653893.