Perfect Timing

By Barrie St John

How long should a self hypnosis session last? Well in terms of a recorded self hypnosis session, like our CDs or MP3 downloads, I would say that right around 20 minutes is best. In my personal and professional experience I have found that about 20 to 25 minutes, possibly 30 minutes tops, is generally just right for people. This is why all the self hypnosis sessions on this website are this length, from stop smoking to stress management. They all fit this time frame.

I know that some self hypnosis production companies have recordings that are 40 and 50 minutes long, and some even an hour or more. In my opinion this is just too long. I think there are about 25 minutes of optimum time in hypnosis. After that, people get a sense of ‘ok that’s enough now’ and they kind of switch off to the benefit.

This timeframe actually imposed and supported by our bodies’ natural ultradian rhythms. You’ve likely heard of circadian rhythms before, which are a kind of internal clock that regulates our sleeping and waking cycles and occur just twice daily. Well, ultradian rhythms wax and wane more frequently. They tend to cycle our focus and energies every hour and a half or so, with a period of 20 minutes in between. 

These natural ‘downtimes’ are the perfect opportunity for self hypnosis. During this time the mind is more open creatively. After about 20 minutes our brain and bodies are ready to switch back to more logical, left brain functioning, which is why after about 20 minutes or so of hypnosis you might feel the need to get up and start moving or lose your imaginative focus. 

Understanding and working with these natural cycles can benefit us in hypnosis.  You’re not necessarily getting more value out of a self hypnosis session just because it lasts longer. I think that some people make hypnosis recordings longer as an excuse to charge more. They try to capitalise on the perception that longer is better, when actually it could be the opposite. If I thought longer self hypnosis sessions brought about better results, then I would make longer recordings. But I know scientifically, professionally, and personally, that this is not true.

You also have to remember that in hypnosis repetition is the key. The more you hear the suggestion, the more likely it is to be accepted by your unconscious. In this aspect, 20 to 25 minute recordings are just more user-friendly. If you had a self hypnosis session that was 45 minutes long it would be harder to find the time to listen as frequently, and we know that motivation is helped and maintained if listened to everyday. 

As far as I am concerned, 20 to 25 minutes of self hypnosis is perfect timing.

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