In 2024 I invited a number of participants – all hardcore insomniacs – to try out an approach I had found in the archives of a mid-western university. It was from 1980 and was based on only two clients of a hypnotherapy practice, but had had remarkable success.

Once in trance the clients were taught a method of subduing excessive brain activity when their mind raced with worries or just with random rubbish that prevented them from getting to sleep, or getting back to sleep if they had woken in the night.

This was taught over three sessions, the first to understand their issue in detail, to learn what might work for them and to perform a taster trance; the second delivered the therapy to their unconscious mind; the third followed up to ensure that it had been absorbed.  In the process, I taught them self-hypnosis, encouraging them to do it as often as possible to rewire their brain for sleep.

Each one of the participants achieved improvement in their sleep but the best results came for those who practised self-hypnosis in between our sessions. I now stress this as part of the therapy, hastening improvement in whatever issue is bothering you.