Hypnosis is a technique most-often used in psychotherapy with the intention of treating various disorders and habits. Smokers, for example, may turn to hypnosis to help themselves break the habit of smoking.

Hypnosis for sleep is sometimes thought to describe self-hypnosis, where you learn to hypnotize yourself to sleep. In fact, sleep hypnosis involves being led by a hypnotist into a state of relaxation by way of so-called ‘hypnotic induction’. In such a state people are said to be susceptible to the hypnotist’s suggestions – in this case regarding behavior and thoughts around sleep.

Much of the discussion around any supposed merits of sleep hypnosis focuses on whether it is truly able to address the psychological (influencing thoughts) and behavioral (changing habits) factors involved in the maintenance of sleep problems