What Is Hypnopedia And How Can It Help Your Children?

Sleep is the ideal time to convey to children how much we love them, as well as to affirm their abilities and promote their development.

The word hypnopedia means ‘learning while sleeping’. It is a neurolinguistic programming technique that helps us reprogram our minds, for different purposes. This is because, while we sleep, our unconscious is much more receptive to the messages it receives.

If we apply hypnopedia to children, we can transmit information that we have difficulty expressing during the day  for different reasons. This is a very useful tool for promoting psychological and emotional development. And, above all, it serves to convey our love so that it is firmly imprinted on the little ones.

How does hypnopedia work?

The unconscious directs more than 90% of our life. Our thoughts, emotions and actions arise from beliefs rooted in it. If they are negative or dysfunctional, it can cause us problems or suffering during our daily lives. So if we want to change an attitude, we must go to the source.

Sleep is the ideal time to perform this task because, while we sleep, the barriers of the conscious mind are lowered and we are much more permeable to information. Anything you say to a child during their rest period will reach them directly and effectively. And that’s why hypnopedia is such a valuable tool.

How to apply hypnopedia?

First, define the messages you want to convey to your child. Make sure they are short and positively written (avoid using the word “ no” and focus on what you want to achieve rather than what you care about).

For example, instead of saying “you won’t feel anxious anymore”, it is better to use the statement “you will feel calm and happy all day” .

It’s also important that you don’t select too many messages at the same time. Try to make it less than four at a time. Once you’ve defined the message clearly, you can write it down on paper so you don’t forget.

So, wait for your child to enter REM sleep. Remember that it usually occurs within two hours of falling asleep. At that moment, stay by his side and, without waking him up, start talking to him or reading what you wrote. Do this naturally, slowly and in a soft voice, almost like a whisper.

Continue reading the messages or talking to him for a period of five to ten minutes  and end with a positive, loving sentence: “I love you,” “You are very valuable to me,” or something similar that comes from your heart.

You should repeat this routine for at least 21 days in a row. The choice of this period of time occurs because cell regeneration happens every 21 days. That way, your child’s new cells will be loaded with the positive information you’ve conveyed to him.

How can this technique help your kids?

Hypnopedia can be used for a variety of purposes. Below, we will propose some of them:

• Convey to your children how much you love them. When we are involved in the daily routine, it is not always possible to express our love for the little ones. Sometimes we feel that we spend the day correcting them or fulfilling tasks and obligations, and we can’t find the right time.
  • Sleep is an ideal time for this, as your words will reach their unconscious minds, making them feel truly loved. You can also use this to apologize if you made a mistake during the day.
• Modifying problematic behaviors. When children behave inappropriately, we can become desperate. They don’t seem to listen to our instructions and we get tired of fighting with them. We can take advantage of hypnopedia to change this situation. For example, if your child is aggressive, convey messages such as “you are kind and caring to others” or “you feel very comfortable with your friends” .

• Promote development. You can help your child improve self-esteem, overcome shyness, or optimize school performance by adapting messages. For example: “you always feel very secure and confident”, “you love making friends and do very well at it” or “you find it easy to study”, “you understand and remember everything very easily”.

There are many purposes for which this technique can be used. Therefore, its effectiveness, along with its simplicity, make it a powerful tool to improve your child’s well-being and the relationship between you.