We’re constantly being told that we should get at least eight hours of sleep every night – but for some of us, that’s easier said than done.
Some sleep hackers rely on deep sleep hypnosis to really get the job done.
With so many individuals of all ages struggling with sleep deprivation and insomnia, some are reluctantly having to rely on medication to help them drift off to dreamland. But sleeping pills are never the answer to long-term sleep health.
Achieving the perfect amount of shut-eye can be more than difficult, so how are we really meant to prepare for a restful night?
Advancements in technology could be the answer. While there’s no easy way to cure sleep problems, sleep hypnosis apps have the potential to improve the quality of our snoozes, which is what we will be looking at in this post.
Let’s get straight into it.
Contents
Our guide to the best deep sleep hypnosis apps
Deep Sleep Tools: A Guide to the Best Sleep Hypnosis Apps
We’ve rounded up a list of the 7 best sleep hypnosis apps and audio that claim to help us sleep better.
Before we look in detail at which apps will help you to get good sleep with hypnosis, let’s explain: what is sleep hypnosis?
What Is Sleep Hypnosis?
You’re probably already aware that hypnosis is a technique most often used to treat various habits and common disorders, in a bid to break the habit and train you out of that particular behavior.
Sleep hypnosis audio is ideal for anyone unable to relax, unwind and drift off to sleep quickly and easily.
It’s also great for people who struggle to stay asleep and find themselves waking up at different times throughout the night.
P.S. If you’re wondering how to listening to your hypnosis app in bed, check out our guide to the best sleep headphones
The Science Behind Deep Sleep Hypnosis and Sleep
If you’re wondering what the mechanisms are behind free sleep hypnosis that manages to get you that good night’s sleep, you’ll be pleased to hear that studies have been undertaken that have found “those highly suggestible to hypnosis can have deeper sleep after hypnotic suggestion”.
The 2014 study found that healthy women prone to hypnotic suggestion were able to spend 80% more time in the deep sleep phase after listening to sleep hypnosis audio.
The same women also slept an average of 67% more than normal too.
There’s nothing particularly ‘wacky’ or mystic about hypnosis for sleep — it simply provides a vehicle for focus and relaxation, both of which are known to promote sleep.
Any Drawbacks of Hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy doesn’t have the most solid reputation when it comes to cold hard facts, mostly because people still associate it with the “you are getting very sleeeeeepy…” comic hypnotists and a general fear of anything that seems a bit new-age.
If we put aside any paranoia about worrying that a sleep hypnosis app might somehow take over your mind, there is one major drawback to hypnosis: it won’t work if you don’t want it to.
Remember when we mentioned that a study found that hypnosis had a profound impact on deep sleep in suggestible women? It worked because they were open to the ‘suggestion’ of hypnosis.
If you go in with an open mind, however, you could be for a totally rejuvenated sleep routine.
The Best Sleep Hypnosis Audio Reviewed
Sleep hypnosis tapes used to be seen as a left-field alternative therapy that would require venturing to the store to buy some dubious CDs…
These days, thanks to our smartphones, we can download sleep hypnosis apps that give us the latest cutting edge sleep tech in a matter of seconds.
Here are some of the best sleep hypnosis apps for Android (via Google Play) and iOS (via iTunes) that you should definitely check out.
Relax & Sleep Well by Glenn Harrold offers four hypnotherapy recordings and two different types of guided sleep hypnosis for quick relaxation.
Everything in this app is designed to flow together, de-stress your body and help you to sleep soundly.
You can also enjoy a 61-minute Detox Your Life session to fight stress and negative vibes, and two bonus tracks for the ultimate quick nap. It also features eBooks, which can be used as training tools to learn self-hypnosis.
Pros
- Four free sleep hypnosis sessions
- Uses the latest digital stereo technology
- Self-help eBooks
- Optimized for phone and tablet use
- Having access to Glenn Harrold’s 20+ years of experience
Cons
- The 61-minute detox session is too long for many
- Some sentences have unnecessary pauses
- Structure is sometimes confusing
Here’s a quick look at Glenn Harrold in action — hopefully this taster will indicate whether this particular sleep hypnosis app will be suited to your needs or not:
Listen on Google Play Listen on iTunesWith its aqua background and clear graphics, Sleep Well Hypnosis is relaxing to look at and makes life easy when choosing your sessions.
The app has been developed to train your mind to sleep better, reduce anxious thoughts and prepare your mind for a deeper sleep through hypnosis.
Just one 25-minute audio session a day is meant to improve sleep in 1-3 weeks. Sleep Well Hypnosis also uses relaxing sounds and hypnosis audio read by a certified hypnotherapist to soothe you into a restful sleep.
Pros
- Sleep booster with binaural beats to induce an optimal state for restorative sleep
- Separate volume controls for voice, background and sleep booster
- Sessions can be looped while you sleep
- Background sounds can continue when sessions end
- Works with Apple Watch
Cons
- No way of stopping long intro at start
- Free version has just one session
Created by one of the UK’s leading hypnotherapists, Darren Marks, Sleep Deeply offers effective hypnotic guided relaxation sessions through spoken word.
In essence, you get professional help from Darren in the comfort of your own home without paying for live sessions.
Hypnosis sessions include videos of waterfalls, clouds and more to help rid your mind of negative thought patterns and a track of non-verbal sounds will gently guide your mind to sleep. The app also features interviews with Darren.
Pros
- Cheaper than and similar to a live session with Darren Marks
- Pink Theta calming sound session
- Beautiful background videos
- Tips for sleeping well
- Video FAQs
- Won the award for Best Medical App at 2011 Best App Ever Awards
Cons
- Sessions could be longer
Here’s a look at the app in action:
Available on: Google Play, iTunes.
Listen on Google Play Listen on iTunesDesigned to distract you from your own thoughts, Sleep Hypnosis allows you to listen to different sessions to help you change sleep behaviours.
For a deep night’s sleep night after night, all you have to do is close your eyes and relax as you listen to the voice in the audio.
All available sessions include Theta Wave Technology, Binaural Beats and Subliminal Technology.
Pros
- Free session
- Easy to use
Cons
- The voice on the audio isn’t very soothing
- Have to use headphones for best results
Customised hypnosis sessions address your issues of sleep deprivation and help you to get back to feeling well-rested.
From the creators of the Mindfi series, Deep Sleep & Relax Hypnosis uses visuals, sound effects, music and hypnosis techniques as sleeping aids to help with insomnia, snoring, anxiety, stress release and more.
The audios are broken down into categories so you can enjoy an all-encompassing relaxation experience that should help you fall asleep faster.
Pros
- Various audio sessions including power nap, peaceful partner, snore no more, wake up early, virtual mental massage, stress release, insomnia relief, falling back to sleep, disarming nightmares, deep muscle relaxation and sleep like a baby
- Sleep like a baby audio is free
- Custom created and personalized hypnosis
Cons
- You have to pay for the majority of the audios
- Audios are very similar to one another
The Real Subliminal sleep hypnosis audio is available in either MP3 or CD format.
Again, the audio is available in a range of specialist topics. Here is a selection of the most popular:
- Lose weight
- Become the alpha male
- Extrovert personality
- Photographic memory development
These recordings hope to influence your behavior, thoughts, and feelings by subliminal learning. The company claims that with repeated exposure to the audio, you will benefit from real, lasting changes.
One way that Real Subliminal differs from the other sleep hypnosis apps on this list is that you don’t have to listen to it as you go to sleep. As it isn’t exactly like hypnosis — and therefore won’t send you into a trance-like state — you can listen to it during the day, including while you’re working and exercising!
Check Out Real SubliminalOK, this one isn’t even pretending to be about getting a better night’s sleep, but we receive a lot of questions from people using sleep hypnosis for weight loss so we thought it was worth including.
This ‘gastric bypass hypnosis’ program is part of the Easy Willpower by Rena series and has been featured on shows like CNN, GMA, and Nightline.
It’s certainly expensive, but if you’ve got a lot of weight to lose, it might well be worth a try. It’s definitely old-school — just check out that photo above if you’re not convinced!
The program is divided into four sections:
- What gastric bypass hypnosis surgery is
- Gastric bypass hypnosis surgery
- Gastric bypass hypnosis surgery reinforcement
- Post surgery affirmations
Also included are a free bonus book and walking audio.
Check Out The ProgramConclusion: Do Sleep Hypnosis Apps Work?
Well – we’re certainly feeling refreshed after reviewing all these audios. We’ve got the trickle of waterfalls stuck in our head!
Our personal favorite sleep apps have to be Relax & Sleep Well and Sleep Deeply, which may have something to do with the fact they were produced by renowned hypnotherapists.
Sleep Well Hypnosis, Sleep Hypnosis, and Deep Sleep & Relax Hypnosis are more suited to anyone who doesn’t have major issues with their sleep, as they are much more basic.
If you’re looking for more specialist hypnosis audio, especially those targeted at weight loss or mindset, take a look at the Real Subliminal and Gastric Bypass Hypnosis audio instead.
However, we’re aware that some apps will work better for some than others, and it all depends on the reasons why you aren’t sleeping properly — along with the connection you make to each recording.
We hope you’ve found our Best Deep Sleep Hypnosis Apps post helpful. Looking for alternatives? Be sure to visit our sleep tech reviews section for other great options.
4 Comments
I notice you say the Darren Marks app has ‘pink theta’ audio – what does that mean? couldn’t find anything about it online
Hi Sleepy!
Pink noise is a very low-frequency version of white noise, while Theta waves are a brainwave frequency commonly associated with meditation and hypnosis.
You can read more about it here in this piece on binaural beats: https://hacktosleep.com/a-guide-to-binaural-beats-for-sleep/
Just want to say that the Sleep Hypnosis app audio is actually very soothing! I like it anyway. Plus it’s free!
Hi everyone. Has anyone tried the gastric bypass hypnosis or something similar? I’m severely overweight and considering getting an actual gastric bypass, but ideally I’d like to try and cut down on my own first. I would really like to know if anyone’s tried weight loss hypnosis and if it made any permanent changes to their attitudes towards food. Any fellow overeaters with an opinion?