Start with the end of your day

Notice what the move from activity to rest looks like now. Maybe you go straight from a screen to bed, your thoughts speed up once the house is quiet, or rest feels like something you have to earn first.

It can help to describe one recent evening in detail: what you were doing, what you noticed in your body, and what you wished felt different.

Relaxation, hypnosis, and rest

Guided imagery, progressive relaxation, and self-hypnosis are often described as ways to wind down. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) notes that relaxation techniques can be one part of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, but that on their own they have not shown strong results for sleep.

That makes winding down, not treating insomnia, a realistic goal to bring to Ashley. Ask how she approaches evenings, what a session would involve, and whether she suggests anything to practice at home.

When to talk with a healthcare professional first

Ongoing trouble falling or staying asleep, loud snoring or gasping at night, or daytime sleepiness that affects driving or work are reasons to talk with a doctor. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute describes cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, delivered by a trained clinician, as a first option for long-term insomnia.

Questions to bring

  • How do you work with winding down at the end of the day?
  • What would a first session focus on?
  • Is there something simple I can practice at bedtime?
  • How would this fit alongside care I already receive?

Common questions

Will I fall asleep during the session?

Hypnosis is usually described as a focused, relaxed state rather than sleep. Ask Ashley what you might notice and how a session ends.

Can hypnotherapy treat insomnia?

Ashley does not diagnose or treat sleep disorders. If sleep problems are persistent, start with a healthcare professional. Everyday goals, such as a calmer evening routine, are a good topic for a discovery call.

Talk with Ashley

Ashley Romero, CHt, CAHA, offers online hypnotherapy sessions* and in-person sessions in Melbourne, Arkansas. A free discovery call is a place to describe your goal, ask about her approach, and decide together whether working with her is a good fit.

See session options and rates.

Sources & context

Further reading: NCCIH: Hypnosis, NCCIH: Relaxation techniques, and NHLBI: Insomnia treatment. Research summaries describe groups of people and do not predict an individual's results.

This is an educational guide, not an assessment or promise of treatment results.