Hypnosis is showing to be an amazing tool to help people get a good night’s sleep and several recent studies show that good sleep is critical for brain health. “At its core, hypnosis is a brain wave state that all people experience when they are falling asleep,” explains Randy Hampton of Hawaii Hypnosis Center. “Practicing hypnosis can help people overcome the challenges of falling asleep and staying asleep.”
A professional hypnotist can help clients reset the process of falling asleep, which can be difficult to recover once a disruption occurs. “Just engaging in hypnosis shows the brain the proper pathways for sleep,” said Hampton.
Hypnotists can also assist in resolving the subconscious conflicts that can manifest as racing thoughts that people say keep them from getting good sleep.“Solving sleep issues with hypnosis can be a great investment in future brain health as sleep researchers continue to add to the growing evidence that sleep is a critical physical and emotional need,” Hampton adds.
In one recent study, led by Harvard Medical School researchers, older adults who had trouble falling asleep or wake frequently during the night are at a higher risk for developing dementia or even dying from any cause. The study found that people who had trouble falling asleep on most nights had a 44 percent increased risk of early death. Individuals who woke up frequently during the night were at a 56 percent risk of early death. The study also found that people with sleep difficulties faced up to a 49 percent increased risk of developing dementia. The study followed participants over the course of eight years.
Other studies have also linked poor sleep and dementia risks. Merely one night of bad sleep was found to increase the plaques that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Even one less hour of sleep can have a big impact. A recent study published in the journal Nature found that participants who were averaging six hours of sleep a night had increased levels of risky proteins than participants who got seven or more hours of sleep nightly.
How big a problem is disrupted sleep? Researchers at the World Sleep Society estimated that sleep deprivation affects the health of up to 45 percent of people worldwide. The U.S. Center for Disease Control states that one in three Americans suffers from sleep problems while up to 70 million people have significant sleep disorders such as insomnia, apnea, or restless leg syndrome.
