Staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep, or tossing and turning in bed is common for those with insomnia. There are clinical and medication-based ways to combat insomnia, but there’s also the option of using hypnosis to address it. 

In some cases, this battle can be challenging because insomnia is linked to anxiety, and depending on the patient’s level, they may also experience a panic attack during insomnia. This does not mean there is a mandatory relationship where one problem leads to another, but there are possibilities for hypnosis to help combat both, as they have similar symptoms.

That’s why we have prepared this content to explain what insomnia and panic disorder are, their causes, and how hypnosis can be an aid for these problems. Check it out!

Understand what insomnia and panic disorder are

According to the Brazilian Sleep Association, insomnia can be defined as the difficulty to sleep or stay asleep. This difficulty varies from patient to patient, but it is a problem whose origin is not precisely known. Some considerations by this Association show that insomnia can occur before or after an emotional disorder.

Therefore, people suffering from insomnia may commonly have a diagnosis of some mood disorder or excessive levels of anxiety and stress. As the Association’s material on insomnia states, “Insomnia is also more prevalent in the lower socioeconomic strata, among the unemployed/retired, and those who have lost a spouse (due to widowhood, divorce, or separation). These patients often have psychiatric disorders, another major risk factor for insomnia.”

In other words, although there are environmental factors (situations and events of the day) that can lead to insomnia, it is generally associated as a symptom of some psychiatric problem. 

However, one cannot dismiss the possibility that lifestyle and health problems can cause insomnia. After all, people with a more hectic lifestyle with long working hours and no established sleep routine can also suffer from insomnia. While some respiratory diseases that hinder the patient from sleeping can generate anxiety and stress and consequently, insomnia.

Now let’s explain what panic disorder is and how it happens. Keep reading.

Panic Disorder

Regarding panic disorder, its causes are multifactorial, meaning it is a combination of genetic, environmental, familial factors, and the person’s life history, such as the abusive use of medication, drugs, and alcohol.

According to Dr. Drauzio Varella, the disorder is a sensation of near death, where the patient feels shortness of breath, accelerated heartbeat, and loss of control over their own body. This sensation can last up to ten minutes.

See below the main symptoms:

• Fear of dying;
• Fear of losing control and going crazy;
• Depersonalization (feeling detached from the outside world, as if living in a dream) and derealization (distortion in the perception of the world and oneself that prevents distinguishing reality from fantasy);
• Pain and/or chest discomfort that can be mistaken for heart attack signs;
• Palpitations and tachycardia;
• Feeling of shortness of breath and suffocation;
• Sweating;
• Nausea;
• Abdominal discomfort;
• Dizziness or vertigo;
• Hot flashes and chills;
• Numbness and tingling;
• Tremors, shakes, and shivers.

And the physical symptoms are the result of sympathetic system activation. Understanding how this modulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems works is very important for all health professionals.

When we are anxious, our mouth dries out, pupils dilate, adrenaline production increases, and heart rate is stimulated. These are exactly the symptoms of sympathetic activation.

The sympathetic nervous system prepares you for fight or flight; it is a system that makes the individual tense, and the parasympathetic is a “braking” system that reduces these tensions. 

Now let’s show how hypnosis can be used to combat these two problems. Check it out!

How self-hypnosis can help combat insomnia and panic disorder

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), with minor considerations from the Brazilian Society of Hypnosis (SBH), hypnosis can be defined as a state of consciousness [intentionally induced] involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness, characterized by an enhanced capacity for response to suggestion. In this state, the subject is led to experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, or behavior [goal-oriented].

Self-hypnosis is the self-use of these techniques that can induce this alternative state of consciousness. It helps to become more focused and better able to receive positive suggestions to achieve one’s goals.

And it’s worth emphasizing that self-hypnosis is none of the myths below:

• loss of mind control;
• brainwashing;
• sleeping;
• becoming unconscious;
• a mystical state.

It is an individual practice that can be taught with the therapist’s help to patients so they don’t need frequent direct contact and still receive help in achieving their goals.  

Its most common advantages are:

• It can be performed anywhere the individual can concentrate;
• The individual may feel more in control of themselves;
• The individual chooses the hypnotic suggestions that make the most sense to them;
• Helps reduce the need for new consultations with therapists.

How self-hypnosis works with insomnia and panic disorder

According to the Sleep Foundation, through hypnosis, the patient can feel relaxed and create the opportunity to guide their emotions. Small studies have already identified modest benefits that can help combat insomnia. 

Another study published in the National Library of Medicine shows that hypnosis can be a useful tool to put a person into deep sleep by slowing down the mind. This means that the patient who has more hours of deep sleep can have better mental and physical recovery.

There are cases that prove the effectiveness of self-hypnosis for sleep. If you look at this Fast Company report, you’ll find a story of a woman who used self-hypnosis to combat insomnia, and although she didn’t see immediate results, after two weeks she started sleeping better and normally.

For the patient to use hypnosis efficiently, there are some tips that can enhance this experience. See below:

• Distribute resources that the patient can use at home: There are several resources that can be used to practice self-hypnosis, from written scripts, calming music, relaxation strategies, and even apps;
• Develop a routine with the patient: Habits have a greater influence on behaviors. If you notice that the patient has had a good change in sleep quality with routine changes, help them organize to have healthy but frequent habits. This includes, fixed bedtime, physical activities, relaxation exercises at scheduled times, among others;
• Show them ways to monitor their own sleep: Have the patient record or rate the quality of sleep they had and their morning disposition. There are apps that help with this, such as Sleep Cycle.

Now, in the case of panic disorder, hypnosis will also work to reduce anxiety levels. But, specifically for this disorder that has issues with fear, hypnosis can help the patient increase their self-esteem and self-confidence, precisely to reduce fear and worry. According to the Hypnotherapy Directory, self-hypnosis also provides the patient with the ability to access a calm state of mind, helping them overcome negative emotions from the disorder.

Some suggestions the therapist can use during consultations are:

• “You are in control of the situation, nothing will harm you”;
• “Slow down your breathing, you will feel calmer”;
• “You can get through this, just breathe.”

The results of self-hypnosis can come with the patient’s constant practice and their willingness to maintain healthier thought habits. However, it is important that before using self-hypnosis, the patient seeks to diagnose their problem with a trusted doctor so they can better assess the situation and rule out other related issues. This way, the use of self-hypnosis can be more effective and responsible.

Did you enjoy learning about self-hypnosis for insomnia and panic disorder? Then, learn more in our guide that teaches self-hypnosis from basic to advanced!

Originally posted 2021-04-26 15:14:14.