Hypnosis may extend restorative slow-wave sleep

Restorative slow-wave sleep can be increased without medication – using hypnosis – therefore improving overall health, scientists report in Sleep.
We know that slow wave sleep has a positive impact on memory and the functioning of the immune system. During periods of slow wave sleep growth hormones are secreted, cell repair is promoted and the defence system is stimulated.
So experts asked 70 healthy young women to attend a sleep laboratory for a 90-minute midday nap. They were divided into highly suggestible and low suggestible groups using a standard procedure. People who are highly suggestible are easier to hypnotise.
Before falling asleep the women listened to a neutral spoken text for 13-minutes or a slow-wave sleep hypnosis recording.
Highly suggestible women experienced 80% more slow-wave sleep after listening to the hypnosis tape compared with sleep after listening to the neutral text. And time spent awake was reduced by around one-third.
But the low suggestible women did not benefit as much from hypnosis.
According to psychologist Maren Cordi “the results may be of major importance for patients with sleep problems and for older adults. In contrast to many sleep-inducing drugs, hypnosis has no adverse side effects”.
The team involved believes that everyone who responds to hypnosis could benefit from improved sleep through hypnosis.