Self hypnosis is a skill that many people can learn and practise on their own. While guided self hypnosis sessions can make the process easier, more immersive, and more structured, it is also possible to create a calm, focused hypnotic state using simple relaxation and imagination techniques.
Many people use self hypnosis to relax deeply, reduce stress, improve sleep, mentally rehearse success, build confidence, or support positive habits and routines. Some techniques will naturally feel more comfortable than others, so it is worth experimenting and discovering what works best for you personally.
In most cases, the real benefits come from regular practice and allowing yourself to become absorbed in the experience without overthinking it.
Before You Begin
Find somewhere reasonably quiet and comfortable where you can relax without interruption for a few minutes.
You can sit upright in a comfortable chair or lie down if you prefer. Some people find lying down deeply relaxing, although it can also make you more likely to drift off to sleep. If your main goal is relaxation, this is not necessarily a bad thing.
You may also wish to:
- Dim the lights
- Silence notifications
- Set a gentle timer
There is no “perfect” hypnotic feeling that you are aiming for. For many people, hypnosis simply feels like becoming deeply relaxed, mentally absorbed, and less distracted by everyday thoughts.
Guided hypnosis recordings can often help beginners reach this state more easily because they provide structure, pacing, and carefully designed suggestions. However, self hypnosis techniques can also become extremely effective with practice and familiarity.
Technique 1: Calm Breathing
This simple technique uses breathing and repetition to help quiet the mind and create a relaxed hypnotic state.
Step 1
Begin by paying attention to your breathing.
Do not try to force it. Simply notice the natural rhythm of each breath as it gradually begins to slow and deepen on its own.
Step 2
Allow your out-breath to become slightly longer and slower than your in-breath.
As your breathing settles, gently allow your eyes to close whenever they feel ready.
Step 3
Each time you breathe out, silently repeat the word:
“Calm”
After a short while, begin imagining the word in your mind as well as hearing it internally.
Step 4
Continue for several minutes, allowing the feeling of calmness to deepen naturally with each breath.
At this point, you may simply enjoy the relaxation, or you may choose to mentally rehearse something positive, such as feeling calmer in difficult situations, more confident, more motivated, or free from an unwanted habit.
Step 5
When you are ready to finish, slowly open your eyes and gently return your awareness to the room.
Technique 2: Progressive Relaxation
This technique uses imagination and body awareness to create a deep sense of physical relaxation.
Step 1
Begin by focusing on your breathing and allowing your eyes to close naturally.
Step 2
Imagine a pleasant sensation of relaxation beginning at the top of your head.
Step 3
As you breathe out, imagine this feeling slowly spreading down through your body: across your face, into your neck and shoulders, down your arms and hands, through your chest and stomach, and into your legs and feet.
Step 4
Repeat the process two or three times, imagining the sensation becoming deeper and more comfortable each time.
There is no need to force anything. Simply allow your imagination to guide the experience.
Step 5
Spend a few moments enjoying the relaxed state you have created.
You may also choose to use this time for mental rehearsal, positive suggestions, or simply deep relaxation.
Step 6
When you are ready to finish, slowly count from 1 to 5 and gently return to everyday awareness.
Progressive relaxation forms the basis of many guided self hypnosis recordings, including the sessions we offer, because they provide a simple and effective way to relax both the mind and body.
Technique 3: Your Safe and Calm Place
This technique uses visualisation to help create feelings of calmness, safety, and emotional balance.
Step 1
Close your eyes and become aware of your breathing.
Step 2
Begin imagining a place where you feel:
- Calm
- Comfortable
- Safe
- Relaxed
- Emotionally settled
This could be:
- A real location
- A favourite memory
- Somewhere in nature
- Or a completely imaginary place
Step 3
Begin exploring the place in your imagination.
Notice:
- What you can see
- Colours and shapes
- Sounds around you
- Textures and sensations
- Smells or even tastes connected with the place
The more fully you involve your senses, the more absorbing and immersive the experience often becomes.
Step 4
Spend several minutes simply enjoying the feeling of being there.
You may also choose to mentally rehearse situations going well while remaining calm and resourceful.
Step 5
When you feel ready, slowly bring your attention back to the room and gently open your eyes.
Techniques based around calming visualisation are often used in guided self hypnosis recordings because they help many people become more mentally absorbed and relaxed. Variations of this approach are also included in several of our own sessions.
What Should You Focus on During Self Hypnosis?
Some people use self hypnosis purely for relaxation and stress relief.
Others use it more actively for:
- Confidence building
- Improving focus
- Motivation
- Emotional balance
- Changing habits
- Preparing for events
- Improving sleep
- Mentally rehearsing success
There is no need to “try hard” to make hypnosis work.
In fact, many people find the experience becomes easier when they stop analysing it and simply allow themselves to become absorbed in the process.
How Long Should Self Hypnosis Last?
Self hypnosis sessions do not need to be long in order to be effective.
Even 5–10 minutes of focused relaxation practised consistently can be extremely beneficial over time. Many people find shorter, regular sessions easier to maintain than occasional long sessions.
In practice, guided self hypnosis sessions often work best at around 20–25 minutes. This is often long enough for the mind and body to relax deeply while still remaining easy to fit into everyday life and regular routines.
Most of our guided self hypnosis sessions are designed around this kind of length for exactly that reason.
Guided Self Hypnosis vs Practising Alone
Practising self hypnosis independently can be highly effective, especially as you become more familiar with the process.
However, many people prefer guided self hypnosis sessions because they:
- Provide structure and direction
- Reduce distraction and mental effort
- Make it easier to relax deeply
- Include carefully written suggestions
- Create a more immersive experience
- Help establish a regular routine
Guided sessions can be especially helpful for beginners or for people working toward specific goals such as improving confidence, reducing stress, sleeping better, building motivation, or changing habits.
Well-designed guided sessions may also draw upon ideas and techniques from other therapeutic approaches, such as relaxation training, visualisation, mindfulness, NLP, CBT, and positive mental rehearsal.
In our own guided self hypnosis sessions, these elements are combined with many years of practical hypnotherapy experience to help create sessions that feel calming, focused, and easy to follow.
Final Thoughts
Self hypnosis is not about reaching a perfect trance state or trying to perform the process “correctly.”
Whether you practise self hypnosis independently or use guided recordings, the experience is often much more natural and subtle than many people expect. In most cases, it simply involves becoming calmer, more mentally absorbed, and less distracted by everyday thoughts.
Like any skill, self hypnosis tends to become easier and more familiar with regular practice. Some people prefer creating their own self hypnosis routines, while others prefer the structure and immersive nature of guided sessions.
The most important thing is consistency, patience, and finding an approach that feels comfortable and natural for you personally.