MAY 2006, VOLUME 34, NUMBER 1, Abstract 18
The Use of Hypnosis in the Treatment of the Primary Parasomnias: Nightmares, Sleepwalking, and Sleep Terror Disorders
Gerard A. Kennedy, Victoria University, Melbourne
The results suggest that the effective element(s) in decreasing nightmare frequency were specific hypnotic suggestions to alter the nightmare content. In patients with sleepwalking and sleep terror disorders the effective element in decreasing frequency of events appeared to be the generalised effects of hypnosis. The data support the observations of other authors who have suggested the general lowering of tonic levels due to the anxiolytic effects of relaxation employed during hypnosis is responsible for reducing the incidence of these disorders. In conclusion, hypnosis is a relatively simple, non-invasive, inexpensive, and effective means of treating nightmare, sleepwalking, and sleep terror disorders.