Falling asleep during hypnotherapy session.

[eccles1214]

Hi,

Well, I finally found another hypnotherapist that I seem to like. She has the right credentials, seems very competent, is gentle in her approach (what I like most; I do not respond positively to authoritarian approaches). Unfortunately, I fell asleep in our recent session. I was reclined at the time, but I had this same problem with my previous hypnotherapist, and with her I used to sit upright. It is not that these therapists were boring -- they were not -- it is me: I have a tendency to fall asleep in just about any situation in which I am still for any lengthy period, and not just limited to hypnotherapy. I can even fall asleep standing up, sitting upright, even while driving (yes, unfortunately it has several times; only one accident that involved only me and no one else). Medical tests show that I do not have narcolepsy nor sleep apnea; rather, but apparently I seem to have "learned" to associate motionless or little motion with sleep. Also, I tend to get sleepy after meals and in the afternoon, so I prefer to have hypnotherapy sessions in the morning, the earlier the better. I suppose I could ask for hypnotherapy sessions that focus on staying awake during hypnotherapy sessions? That, plus, liberal amounts of some anti-sleep drink (I don't drink coffee, tastes awful to me) or pill (but I'd rather not take anything).

Any ideas? My therapist wants to try again after I'd make some changes (get plenty of rest the night before a session, try some caffeinated tea, turn off the background music in her office), etc.

But I am wondering, is falling asleep during a session necessarily a negative thing? What happens to the brain listening during sessions when we are asleep instead of just in a trance state? Do people get the same benefit? My therapist said no; that while the subconscious is always aware, one still needs their barely minimal consciousness to access it. Is she right? I do know from my own past experiences that suggestions given to me while I am asleep tend to NOT work very well.

[Jack]

Hi,
But I am wondering, is falling asleep during a session necessarily a negative thing? What happens to the brain listening during sessions when we are asleep instead of just in a trance state? Do people get the same benefit? My therapist said no; that while the subconscious is always aware, one still needs their barely minimal consciousness to access it. Is she right? I do know from my own past experiences that suggestions given to me while I am asleep tend to NOT work very well.

It rather depends on what your definition of sleep is.

The simple test is that if the suggestions are effective then it does not matter whether you are 'asleep' or not. Your therapist should be able to interrogate you and get a response, even if only ideomotor, if you are in a suggestible state. Also, your therapist should be able to prevent you from entering deep sleep.

Jack

[eccles1214]

It rather depends on what your definition of sleep is.

The simple test is that if the suggestions are effective then it does not matter whether you are 'asleep' or not. Your therapist should be able to interrogate you and get a response, even if only ideomotor, if you are in a suggestible state.
Jack
I'll bring these points up to her in our next session.

Also, your therapist should be able to prevent you from entering deep sleep.
I think she was attempting to keep me awake (I say "think" because I was very drowsy at the time.), but I'll ask her about this. I am a very "hard" sleeper; I can sleep through just about anything, noise, conversation; it does have to be dark: I can sleep with bright lights on.

[Don]

Did your hypnotist notice you were asleep?
Is is possible that you thought you were asleep but actually you were in trance?
How do you know you were asleep?

Sleep and hypnosis are not the same.

[MissPiggy]

I have a tendency to fall asleep in just about any situation in which I am still for any lengthy period

If you were really sleeping and not just in a deep trance why not hypnotizing you the next time while slowly walking in a circle or any other kind of movement? A bit different from the usual procedure but should work.

[Merlin]

Testing for sleep is like testing for hypnosis.
How do you know it was sleep? What tests did you do?
How about a non-relaxing hypnosis.
Maybe you could run in place or something during the session.

[Merlin]

If you were really sleeping and not just in a deep trance why not hypnotizing you the next time while slowly walking in a circle or any other kind of movement? A bit different from the usual procedure but should work.
Good one miss Piggy!

[eccles1214]

Did your hypnotist notice you were asleep?
Is is possible that you thought you were asleep but actually you were in trance?
How do you know you were asleep?

Sleep and hypnosis are not the same.
My experience in trance states is that while I may become drowsy, I can still hear what the practitioner is saying and hear other sounds, such as background music, cars going by outside the office, etc. My current practitioner has some nice incense burning as well. But when I am out, I recall none of these things. Also, I snore when asleep but not when hypnotized. In this past session, the therapist woke up me, telling me that I was asleep and snoring. But it is possible that I was in a trance; I will ask her next week when we have our next session.

[eccles1214]

If you were really sleeping and not just in a deep trance why not hypnotizing you the next time while slowly walking in a circle or any other kind of movement? A bit different from the usual procedure but should work.
Good idea. I wonder if I should try _that_ at my next dental visit; I fell asleep in the dental chair a few months ago.

[Jack]

But when I am out, I recall none of these things. Also, I snore when asleep but not when hypnotized. In this past session, the therapist woke up me, telling me that I was asleep and snoring. But it is possible that I was in a trance; I will ask her next week when we have our next session.

Also ask your therapist if she is using a post hypnotic suggestion that you will not consciously remember the session. Just a thought.

It is possible to snore during a trance state. Although relaxation is not in itself an hypnotic state, during hypnosis most people are very physically relaxed as if in sleep.

Jack

[Don]

I agree with Jack.

Snoring may occur during sleep, but it is not a sign of sleep. Rather, it is a sign of a partial breathing obstruction often exacerbated by the physiological relaxation that takes place during sleep. People who snore during sleep may also snore while deeply relaxed. So it could be that you were deeply relaxed in the trance, not that you were asleep.

However, you say your hypnotist "woke" you. In my experience, being deeply relaxed in hypnosis, especially if a person is tired, can lead to sleep. Generally, as soon as a person gives signs of sleep as opposed to trance (such as snoring) good hypnotists will gently bring clients out of sleep while keeping them in the trance state.

My suggestion: get plenty of sleep and rest before your session.

Finally, not only is it possible that your hypnotist made a PHS of amnesia, but if you were deep enough in trance you might naturally not remember parts of the session.

[bonecollector]

Well Eyes can close but your ears are always open even during sleep.

Of course for self hypnosis you always need that degree of consciouness to plant suggestions.

On a final note sleep during hypnosis is something i found that creates serious debates amongst hypnotherapists, some argue all noise is closed and passed as junk where others suggest the subconscious mind is always taking in information even when your alseep.

[Poodle]

A hypnotist/hypnotherapist can make suggestions in person while a person is sleeping. It's all in the training. I found it taught at the Instructor level and not before. Don knows how to also and I highly suspect Merlin does also.

Here we go again - the box without borders thinking ;)

Pood