Can clinical hypnosis play a meaningful role in treating parasomnias and other sleep disorders? In this episode of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Medicine Podcast, sleep specialists discuss the principles, clinical application and emerging evidence surrounding hypnosis as a therapeutic option for parasomnias. Dr. Michael Silber is joined by Dr. Bhanu Kolla, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist and board-certified sleep specialist with training in clinical hypnotherapy. The conversation explores how clinical hypnosis uses focused attention, deep relaxation and therapeutic suggestion, along with what current research suggests about its potential neurologic mechanisms. Dr. Kolla also walks through a typical hypnosis session, including induction, mental imagery, progressive relaxation, therapeutic suggestion, reorientation and at-home self-hypnosis practice. The discussion examines Mayo Clinic follow-up data involving patients treated with hypnosis for parasomnias, including non-REM parasomnias, overlap parasomnias and REM sleep behavior disorder. The physicians discuss reported treatment responses, limitations of the retrospective research, possible mechanisms of benefit and areas where hypnosis appeared less effective. This episode is intended for physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and other health professionals interested in sleep medicine, parasomnias and nonpharmacologic approaches to patient care.

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