What happens in the brain during hypnosis?

During hypnosis, activity decreases in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (a conflict detector), and there's increased connectivity between the DLPFC and insula (involved in mind-body control). Activity also changes between the DLPFC and posterior cingulate cortex, contributing to dissociation and cognitive flexibility.

Can hypnosis help with conditions like ADHD, stress, or sleep problems?

Yes, hypnosis can be very helpful in teaching people to focus and narrow their attention, potentially aiding those with ADHD. It's also effective for stress reduction by helping to dissociate physical reactions from psychological stress, and significantly improves sleep for many individuals.

How effective is hypnosis for treating phobias and trauma?

Hypnosis is effective for phobias and trauma by allowing individuals to manage anxiety and create a wider range of associations beyond fear. It can facilitate dissociative desensitization and help restructure understanding of traumatic events, sometimes more rapidly than traditional psychotherapy, and has evidence supporting its use in PTSD treatment.

What is hypnotizability and how is it measured?

Hypnotizability is the capacity to have hypnotic experiences. It's measured using tools like the Hypnotic Induction Profile, often involving tests like the 'eye roll' test, which assesses how eyes move when trying to keep them looking up while closing the eyelids.

Can hypnosis be used safely and effectively for children?

Yes, children can be safely hypnotized and can benefit greatly from it, especially for managing fear and pain during medical procedures. Studies show hypnosis can shorten procedures and reduce anxiety and pain in children undergoing difficult treatments.

How permanent are the changes achieved through hypnosis?

The permanence of changes varies. Often, hypnosis can provide rapid relief, and with tools like the Revery app or through self-hypnosis, individuals can learn to maintain these benefits themselves. Initial sessions with a clinician help determine effectiveness and guide self-practice.

Where can I find a qualified clinical hypnotist?

You can find qualified hypnotists through professional organizations like the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis or the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis. Look for individuals licensed in a primary discipline (psychiatry, psychology, medicine, dentistry) with additional training in hypnosis.

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Essentials: Using Hypnosis to Enhance Mental & Physical Health & Performance | Dr. David Spiegel

Andrew Huberman

Science & Technology5 min read35 min video

Nov 27, 2025|47,729 views|1,083|77

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TL;DR

Hypnosis enhances focus, controls pain, trauma, stress, and sleep by altering brain states.

Key Insights

Hypnosis is a state of highly focused attention that can be used to enhance control over mind and body.

Clinical hypnosis differs significantly from stage hypnosis, focusing on therapeutic benefits and self-control rather than entertainment.

Brain activity during hypnosis involves decreased activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (conflict detector) and increased functional connectivity between the DLPFC and insula (mind-body control).

Hypnosis is effective for stress reduction by dissociating somatic reactions from psychological distress and for improving sleep.

Clinical hypnosis can aid in treating phobias and trauma by allowing individuals to confront and reprocess memories in a controlled state.

The Spiegel test evaluates hypnotizability by observing eye movements during a specific induction technique.

UNDERSTANDING HYPNOSIS AS FOCUSED ATTENTION

Hypnosis is defined as a state of highly focused attention, akin to using a telephoto lens on a camera, which allows for detailed observation but reduces peripheral context. This focused state can lead to a hypnotic-like experience similar to becoming deeply engrossed in a movie, where one is immersed in the imagined world rather than critically observing it. Such engagement, especially when it includes somatic or bodily experiences related to the focus, can be considered a self-altering hypnotic experience.

CLINICAL VERSUS STAGE HYPNOSIS

Dr. David Spiegel distinguishes clinical hypnosis from the often-maligned stage hypnosis. While stage hypnosis can exploit individuals and create fear about loss of control, clinical and self-hypnosis aim to enhance personal control over one's mind and body. This is achieved by fostering cognitive flexibility, allowing for a shift in perspective and a suspension of usual judgment. This ability to change mental sets and experience without constant evaluation is a powerful therapeutic tool when understood and applied correctly.

NEURAL MECHANISMS UNDERLYING HYPNOSIS

Hypnosis alters brain activity by reducing activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC), a key area for conflict detection and salience. This reduction in DACC activity lessens distractions and facilitates deeper focus. Additionally, there is increased functional connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the insula, a region involved in mind-body control and the pain network. This connection enables enhanced influence over bodily functions, as demonstrated by studies showing altered gastric acid secretion based on imagined food intake.

THE ROLE OF DEFAULT MODE AND EXECUTIVE NETWORKS

The hypnotic state also involves inverse functional connectivity between the DLPFC and the posterior cingulate cortex, which is part of the default mode network. This connection dissociates the experience from self-referential processing, meaning individuals may not dwell on the meaning or personal implications of their experiences. This dissociation contributes to cognitive flexibility, making individuals more open to new perspectives and therapeutic interventions by reducing the inhibitory influence of self-judgment and past conditioning.

THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS: STRESS AND SLEEP

Hypnosis is highly effective for stress reduction by helping individuals decouple physical (somatic) reactions from psychological distress. Techniques involve visualizing a safe space while observing stressors on a screen, allowing for control over bodily responses and fostering a sense of mastery. For sleep issues, hypnosis can be a powerful tool, training the mind to relax and transition into sleep more easily. Repeated use may strengthen neural networks associated with relaxation and sleep initiation.

TREATING PHOBIAS AND TRAUMA WITH HYPNOSIS

Hypnosis can be instrumental in treating phobias and trauma by facilitating 'unsistatic desensitization.' By altering mental states, it allows individuals to confront feared stimuli or traumatic memories in a controlled environment. This enables the reprocessing of negative associations, building a broader range of memories that are not solely dominated by fear. For trauma survivors, hypnosis can help restructure their understanding of the event, making it more tolerable and promoting healing by aligning the current mental state with the dissociative state experienced during trauma.

THE SPIEGEL TEST AND HYPNOTIZABILITY

Hypnotizability refers to an individual's capacity to experience hypnosis, and it can be measured. The Spiegel test, or Hypnotic Induction Profile (HIP), assesses this by observing eye movements, specifically an eye roll response when asked to look up and close the eyes. A positive eye roll indicates higher hypnotizability, reflecting specific brain states and eye control mechanisms. Approximately two-thirds of adults are hypnotizable, with a smaller percentage being highly so, though even those with lower hypnotizability can benefit from therapeutic approaches.

APPLYING HYPNOSIS FOR PAIN AND ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS

Clinical hypnosis is a valuable tool for pain management, teaching individuals to categorize and interpret pain signals. This allows for a more adaptive response, distinguishing between signals indicating re-injury and those of healing. It can also be applied to help people manage cravings and achieve goals like smoking cessation or improved eating habits. An app like Revery offers guided sessions for these purposes, with even brief interventions showing positive results for many users.

HYPNOSIS IN PEDIATRIC CARE AND GROUP SETTINGS

Children can benefit significantly from hypnosis, particularly for procedures involving fear and pain. Pediatricians and dentists use hypnosis to help children cope by distracting them and allowing them to 'visit' pleasant places mentally during treatments. Studies show reduced anxiety and shorter procedure times. Hypnosis can also be effectively applied in group settings, such as with groups of women undergoing cancer treatment, fostering a shared experience that can enhance individual coping mechanisms.

RESPIRATION, MIND-BODY CONNECTION, AND VOLUNTARY CONTROL

Breathing plays a crucial role in modulating brain states during hypnosis. Slow exhalations, in particular, can induce parasympathetic activity, promoting relaxation. This conscious control over breathing demonstrates the mind's ability to influence bodily states, bridging conscious and unconscious processes. A key aspect of effective therapeutic change is that the individual voluntarily engages in these processes, taking deliberate control to confront issues rather than passively experiencing them.

THE ADAPTIVE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF MIND-BODY INTERACTION

The adaptive approach to the mind-body connection views the brain and body signals as tools to understand and manage internal states and external environments. Hypnosis pushes the boundaries of this regulation, particularly in pain management. It's not about suppressing signals but about processing them intelligently. By reframing stressors and challenges as opportunities for action and learning, individuals can gain a greater sense of control and build resilience, becoming stronger rather than weakened by their experiences.

FINDING QUALIFIED HYPNOTHERAPISTS

For those seeking clinical hypnosis, it's essential to find licensed professionals trained in their primary discipline (psychiatry, psychology, medicine, dentistry) with additional training in hypnosis. Organizations like the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis can provide referral services. While self-hypnosis through resources like the Revery app is accessible, initial guidance from a trained clinician can ensure appropriate and safe application, especially for complex issues like medical conditions secondary to psychological distress.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Software & Apps

●Tools

●Organizations

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Harnessing Hypnosis for Health and Performance

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Seek hypnosis for stress reduction, sleep improvement, pain management, and phobia treatment.

Understand hypnosis as a state of focused attention that can enhance control over mind and body.

Consider self-hypnosis or apps like Revery for regular practice.

Use slow exhales during induction to enhance relaxation and parasympathetic activity.

Focus on voluntary self-exposure to challenges, reframing them as opportunities for growth.

Seek licensed and trained professionals for clinical hypnosis.

Avoid This

Do not confuse clinical hypnosis with stage hypnosis; avoid practitioners who make people 'fools'.

Be aware that not everyone is equally hypnotizable, but low-to-moderate hypnotizable individuals can still benefit.

Avoid using hypnosis for serious medical conditions without proper medical assessment to rule out underlying issues.

Individuals with severe OCD may be less responsive to hypnotic approaches due to over-controlling thought patterns.

Physiological Changes During Hypnosis

Data extracted from this episode

Brain Region/Network	Change During Hypnosis	Effect
Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (DACC)	Decreased activity	Reduced distraction
DLPFC and Insula	Increased functional connectivity	Enhanced mind-body control
DLPFC and Posterior Cingulate Cortex	Inverse functional connectivity	Dissociation, reduced self-reflection

Effect of Hypnosis on Gastric Acid Secretion

Data extracted from this episode

Condition	Gastric Acid Secretion Change
Imaginary culinary tour	+87%
Relaxation (thinking of anything but food)	-40%
Imaginary tour with Pentagastrin injection	-19%

Common Questions

Hypnosis is a state of highly focused attention, similar to being deeply engrossed in a movie. Unlike stage hypnosis, which can be misleading and make people feel out of control, clinical hypnosis is a tool for enhancing self-control over one's mind and body.

Topics

Hypnosis Focused Attention Pain Management Phobias Hypnotizability Spiegel Test Self-hypnosis Revery App

Mentioned in this video

conceptDorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (DACC)

A brain region in the central-middle part of the brain, part of the salience network, that acts as a conflict detector. Its activity decreases during hypnosis, reducing distractions.

conceptInsula

A part of the salience network, sensitive to what's happening in the body and involved in the pain network. It shows increased functional connectivity with the DLPFC during hypnosis.

softwareRevery app

An app developed by Dr. Spiegel and his colleagues that teaches users self-hypnosis for pain, stress, focus, insomnia, and other issues. It includes short refreshers that users find helpful.

toolHypnotic Induction Profile

A structured hypnotic experience used as a test to measure hypnotizability, assigning a score from 0 to 10.

supplementPentagastrin

A substance injected to trigger gastric acid release, used in a study to show that even with this stimulus, hypnosis could reduce gastric acid secretion.

organizationAmerican Society for Clinical Hypnosis

A professional organization that provides referral services for finding trained hypnotists.

conceptPosterior Cingulate Cortex

An area in the back of the brain, part of the default mode network, whose activity decreases in meditators. During hypnosis, it shows inverse functional connectivity with the DLPFC.

personGordon Bower

A brilliant cognitive psychologist at Stanford who helped establish the concept of state-dependent memory.

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