How to Practice Self-Hypnosis — a Step-by-Step Guide for Anyone Ready to Begin

Someone wrote after reading our article on self-hypnosis: “I understand the principle, but I do not know where to start.”

So let us go through it step by step, from preparing to returning to your ordinary state.

Before we begin, one thing to be clear about: self-hypnosis is a technique for relaxation, focus and personal development. It is not treatment for a physical or psychiatric illness. If you are experiencing severe psychiatric symptoms, or are currently in treatment, please consult a specialist before practicing alone.

Before you start: prepare the space

Find somewhere quiet where you will not be disturbed for ten to fifteen minutes. It need not be a special room — a bedroom, an armchair, a quiet corner will do. Silence your phone, tell the household you would like a short while to yourself, and choose a comfortable position: upright in a supportive chair, or lying flat. Only avoid a position that will send you soundly to sleep, unless sleep is what you intend.

Step 1: Relax the body

Begin by breathing in deeply through the nose, holding two or three seconds, then out slowly through the mouth. Repeat three to five times. This kind of breathing engages the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s recovery system.

Then scan the body from head to feet, noticing where it is tight and deliberately releasing each part in turn: forehead, jaw, shoulders, arms, chest, abdomen, legs, feet. Take your time here. The more the body settles, the easier the next step becomes.

Step 2: Bring yourself into trance

With the body relaxed, this step carries attention further inward. A popular and effective method is counting down.

Count from ten to one silently, telling yourself that with each number the body and mind settle one step deeper — “ten… more relaxed… nine… deeper still…” and so on to one. There is no correct way this must feel. Some people feel heavier, some lighter. Both are ordinary.

Another method, which combines well with it, is imagining a calm place — a beach, a mountain, a shaded garden. Build the image in as much detail as you can: what you see, what you hear, what you smell, what the air feels like on your skin. The clearer the image, the deeper the focus.

Step 3: Give yourself a suggestion

Once you feel relaxed and settled, the mind is generally more open to learning. This step uses words or imagery aligned with what you would like to change or develop.

Use present-tense, positive sentences — “I feel calm and confident” rather than “I will not worry any more”. Say them with genuine feeling rather than by rote. And if you can, picture yourself in the situation you want, with the feeling you want, at the same time.

If a sentence feels entirely untrue to you, lower it. Instead of “I am completely confident”, begin with “I am learning to be more confident each day”. A sentence that feels possible carries more power than one that sounds good but the heart refuses.

For more on building effective suggestions, “What Auto-Suggestion Is” sets it out fully.

Step 4: Return gradually

When you have finished, do not get up straight away. Take a moment to count from one to five, telling yourself that with each number the body and mind become more alert and refreshed. At five, move your fingers and toes, then open your eyes slowly.

Questions people ask

If I can still hear everything, does that mean it did not work? No. Most people continue to hear and notice their surroundings during self-hypnosis. Awareness does not disappear; attention has simply moved toward inner experience.

How often should I practice? Ten to twenty minutes a day, or several times a week, is plenty. Consistency matters more than the length of any one session.

How long before I notice anything? There is no fixed answer. Some feel relaxed from the first attempt; others need several before the state feels familiar. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Does it matter if I fall asleep? Not at all, particularly if you practice before bed. Falling asleep is not failure — though if you intend it for something other than sleep, try a time when you are less tired.

Can I really do this alone, or do I need a practitioner? Self-hypnosis genuinely works for ordinary self-care: easing stress, building confidence, settling yourself before a demanding situation. For difficulties settled deeper — entrenched patterns, severe phobia, or emotional wounds — working with a practitioner is safer and more effective.

Self-hypnosis is not mysterious, and it need not be perfect the first time. What matters most is trying, and giving yourself time to learn the state gradually.

For the principles behind it, see “What Self-Hypnosis Is”. And for how work with a practitioner differs, “What Hypnotherapy Is” makes it clearer.