Huberman Lab

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

Feb 21, 2022

Dr. David Spiegel, a leading expert in clinical hypnosis from Stanford University, delves into the transformative power of hypnosis for mental and physical health. He discusses its applications in treating trauma, chronic pain, and anxiety, and shares fascinating case studies. Dr. Spiegel explains how self-hypnosis can enhance sleep and reduce stress, and he highlights its neurological benefits for cognitive flexibility. Listeners also learn how to identify their hypnotizability and why focused attention can reshape bodily functions and emotional responses.

01:48:56

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David Spiegel

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Quick takeaways

Hypnosis can be used to enhance mental and physical health by changing brain states and facilitating control over mind and body.

Specific brain networks are involved in hypnotic states, with decreased activity in certain regions contributing to therapeutic benefits.

Hypnosis is effective in treating trauma-related disorders and phobias, offering a safe environment for restructuring understanding of traumatic events and providing a sense of control.

Self-hypnosis techniques, learned from professionals or through specialized apps, can be effective in achieving therapeutic outcomes and offer convenient access to the benefits of hypnosis.

Deep dives

Hypnosis and its Clinical Applications

Hypnosis, a state of highly focused attention, can be a powerful tool for various clinical applications. By changing brain states, hypnosis can enhance control over mind and body, making it useful for stress reduction, improving sleep, and managing anxiety. It can dissociate somatic reactions from psychological reactions, allowing individuals to feel more in control. Hypnosis has been shown to be effective in treating phobias, improving pain management, and even enhancing outcomes in medical procedures. The benefits of hypnosis can be experienced relatively quickly, and evidence suggests that it can lead to long-term changes. While seeing a professional trained in hypnosis is recommended, self-hypnosis techniques and the use of specialized apps like Reverie can also be effective in achieving therapeutic outcomes.

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01:14

Hypnosis: Enhancing Control and Therapeutic Opportunities

01:33

Eye Movement and Levels of Consciousness

01:09

The Power of Hypnosis: Breathing, Vision, and Mental Focus

03:39

Intro

4min

Unlocking the Mind: Hypnosis and Health

5min

The Power of Hypnosis: Healing Through Focused Attention

22min

Harnessing Self-Hypnosis for Enhanced Sleep and Stress Management

3min

Harnessing Hypnosis for Phobias and Trauma Recovery

15min

The Power of Hypnosis: Beyond the Stage

7min

Hypnosis and the Mind: OCD vs. Superstitions

6min

Hypnotizability and Its Implications

20min

Confronting Trauma: The Importance of Deliberate Exposure in Therapy

6min

10.

Healing Through Hypnosis: Mind-Body Connection

20min

11.

Unlocking Hypnosis Resources

5min

My guest is Dr. David Spiegel MD, Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Center on Stress and Health and Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Spiegel has more than 40 years of clinical and research experience with hypnosis, stress physiology, and psychotherapy. In this episode, we examine the role of clinical hypnosis for the treatment of trauma, chronic pain, anxiety and more. Dr. Spiegel explains how to determine your level of ‘hypnotizability’ and provides case studies of incredible successes with hypnosis to treat a variety of ailments. We also discuss how breathing, vision and directed mental focus can modulate internal states and enhance performance. Additionally, we discuss how the adoption of self-hypnosis techniques can reduce stress and enhance sleep in anyone. Dr. Spiegel teaches us how hypnosis works at the neural circuit level to enhance cognitive flexibility. Throughout the episode, Dr. Spiegel summarizes key clinical trials and peer-reviewed findings and resources to work with a trained clinical professional or to do guided self-hypnosis.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. David Spiegel MD, Hypnosis

(00:04:20) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:09:09) Clinical Hypnosis

(00:16:45) Stage Hypnosis

(00:20:25) Neurobiology of Hypnosis

(00:26:04) ADHD

(00:28:22) Hypnosis for Stress & Sleep

(00:32:12) Hypnosis to Strengthen Neural Connections

(00:37:19) Restructuring Trauma Narratives

(00:45:14) Ketamine Therapy

(00:50:07) Self-directed Hypnosis, Reveri

(00:56:53) Eliminating Obsessive Thoughts, Superstitions

(01:01:50) ‘Hypnotizability’, the Spiegel Eye-roll Test

(01:15:36) EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing)

(01:21:43) Confronting Stress & Trauma

(01:27:56) The Mind-Body Connection

(01:31:35) Dealing with Grief

(01:35:45) Hypnosis in Children & Groups

(01:40:06) Drug Therapies & Hypnosis

(01:42:39) Breathing Patterns, Peak Performance

(01:50:00) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter

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Huberman Lab

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

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Hypnosis and its Clinical Applications

Understanding Hypnotic Brain States

Hypnosis for Trauma and Phobia Treatment

Self-Hypnosis and Clinical Hypnosis: Access and Effectiveness

Hypnosis as a Skill to Manage Pain and Anxiety

The Role of Hypnosis in Dealing with Obsessive Thoughts

Hypnotizability and its Evaluation

The Relationship Between Hypnosis and Mind-Body Connection

This is an opportunity

Hypnosis: Enhancing Control and Therapeutic Opportunities

Eye Movement and Levels of Consciousness

The Power of Hypnosis: Breathing, Vision, and Mental Focus

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts