1) How is hypnosis like sleep? And how does it help with sleep?
Hypnosis, like sleep, is an altered state of consciousness during which your conscious mind takes a back seat to your subconscious. As when we dream, the hypnotic experience is one in which logical thought is less dominant than imagination. Interestingly, one hour of hypnosis is physiologically equivalent to about four hours of sleep. The deep relaxation created by the hypnotic state brings about a tremendous amount of mental rest. When one practices entering hypnosis, one becomes more capable of leaving behind the busyness of their minds and resting in a quiet place, which for some means that sleep is deeper and easier to achieve.
2) Having suffered with anxiety, did this ever make you suffer from lack of sleep and how did you overcome it?
As a long time sufferer of anxiety, I can say with absolute authority that it can have a detrimental effect on ones ability to sleep. The racing mind creates not just mental but physical distress which can make it impossible to sleep. For me, learning about meditation was a Godsend. Once I was able to quiet my mind through practiced attention on my breath or physical sensations, I found it much easier to fall asleep. And even when I couldn’t, the act of calmly witnessing my sensations was far more restful than the inner battle I’d been fighting to get to sleep. It turns out that you don’t need as much sleep if you’re able to get deep rest by quieting your mind and simply being present.
3) How does mindfulness play a part in getting good sleep.
As above, mindfulness is a process of non-judgmental awareness which can allow us to simply notice our current mental and emotional content without reaction. As we become less reactive to what we think or feel, we can stay calm even when the mind is racing. It’s the calm in the eye of the storm which eventually brings about greater calmness in general. Contrast that with the way most of us live our lives. We feel uneasy or restless in our minds, and we then create more discomfort by fighting it, thinking about it, or tensing up in the face of it. Gentle attention on whatever you’re feeling or thinking is the best remedy for the turmoil you’re observing… much as you might allow sediment to settle out of a dirty glass of water, which no amount of stirring could accomplish.
ABOUT STEVE TAUBMAN
Dr. Steve Taubman is a mindfulness expert, bestselling author of Buddha in the Trenches and world class speaker who has dedicated his life to showing people how to thrive through their challenges. He’s written extensively on the application of contemplative practices in stressful situations and has spoken worldwide on mindset mastery for goal-oriented and helping professionals.
Having endured crippling anxiety and low self esteem early in life, Dr. Taubman made it his mission to understand the nature of happiness and the remedy for emotional turmoil. His search led him to neurology, holistic health, mindfulness, positive psychology, and hypnosis. Each of these disciplines is represented in Dr. Taubman’s system for living a balanced life, free of neurosis and rich in accomplishment.
Dr. Taubman’s works include his bestselling book, UnHypnosis, his sales mastery program, The Magic of Inner Selling, his online productivity masterpiece, Procrastination Annihilation, and his latest book on thriving through stress on life’s battlefields, Buddha in the Trenches. He’s also written hundreds of articles for major publications and has produced specialized hypnotic programs for business professionals to remove mental barriers to success.
Dr. Taubman continues to enrich his understanding of the science of happiness and its impact on achievement. When not writing or speaking, Dr. Taubman enjoys spending time with his dog, Woody, in and around his home on the beautiful Burlington, Vermont waterfront.
You can find out more about Steve on his website: www.SteveTaubman.com