How Long Does Hypnosis Last? Here’s What to Expect

I get asked this all the time: “How long does hypnosis last?”
Recently, a new client asked me this exact question, and it sparked this guide. The truth is, hypnosis can create lasting change after just one session, or it can unfold gradually over time. It depends on what you’re working on and how your mind responds to suggestion.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how long hypnosis lasts, how post-hypnotic suggestions work, and what really determines whether the changes stick.

How long does Hypnosis last?

he effects of hypnosis or hypnotherapy can last a lifetime. In many cases, change happens fast and sticks.
For example, Quit Smoking Hypnosis often works in a single session up to 98% of my clients stop after one visit.
Weight Loss Hypnosis varies more and Emotional Wellness, depending on the issue can be one or many sessions. One session might shift one habit, while long-term weight or mental health issues could take 6 to 12 sessions.

Some people notice change right away. Others feel the shift months later, like it was always meant to happen.

How Long does Post-hypnotic suggestions last?

A post-hypnotic suggestion is something your hypnotherapist says as you’re coming out of trance. It’s a powerful time to plant helpful ideas because your mind is relaxed and open.

These suggestions can last for days, weeks, or even years if they align with what you already believe and want.

On my first day at the Academy of Hypnotic Science, our teacher hypnotised us and added a suggestion that we’d finish the course and succeed. I didn’t even notice it at the time, but a year later, I realised it had come true. That’s the power of post-hypnotic suggestion.

How long do Hypnotherapy suggestions last?

Suggestions given during a hypnosis session are aimed at the behaviour or habit you want to change. They can absolutely be permanent.

But here’s the thing. Direct suggestions like, “You will stop eating sugar,” don’t work for everyone. That little rebel voice might pop up and say, “Uh, no girlfriend,” complete with finger wag.

I prefer using metaphors, indirect suggestions, and language that gives your mind space to explore change. Curiosity helps the suggestion land without resistance.

Sometimes it’s not about pushing change. It’s about setting the right conditions and letting your unconscious mind do the rest.

You might also like this post we made on How Often You Should Do Hypnosis For Lasting Effect.

How long do Hypnotherapy suggestions last

A Hypnotic suggestion is something a hypnotherapist will say during your hypnosis session or recording.  These suggestions are around the habit or behavior that you want to change and can also be permanent.  I find that direct suggestion doesn’t work as well on some people, no one likes being told what to do, so the suggestion can be rejected as the rebellious part of you pops up and say’s uh no girlfriend (insert a head wobble while pointing my finger).  I prefer to use metaphors and indirect suggestion and clever use of the hypnotic language for my clients to get what they want and just let them be curious about being curious on how quickly and permanently you can change. (see what I did there)

You may also be interested in this post Is it OK to fall asleep during hypnosis

Why wouldn’t it work or last

There are top 5 reasons why Hypnosis will not work or last.

1. The skill of the hypnotherapist/hypnotist
2. Quality of the suggestion
3. Quality of the hypnotic script
4. Conflicting suggestions
5. Willingness to change

The Skill of the hypnotherapist/hypnotist

If the hypnotherapist cannot get you in trance its never going to work and one surefire way that’s not going to happen is if they don’t have the skill, cannot build rapport with you, help you trust them or not present themselves well.  Could you imagine going to a creepy looking house with 100s of gnomes out the front and the hypnotherapist looked like they hadn’t washed in a week?  There is no way in hell you are going into trance no matter how good he is.  Sorry creepy guy.

What if you went to someone that was rude, or judgy Mc judgy from Mc Judgeville or Mr know it all or didn’t listen, it’s just not going to work.

In short your hypnotherapist needs to know what they are doing.

Quality of the suggestion 

So we have you in trance and now what to do.  This is where the therapy in Hypnotherapy begins.  If the suggestions are not highly crafted and of good quality then it more than likely won’t work.  For example: If a hypnotherapist suggestions were things like “you will not eat donuts ever again” it’s a very basics suggestion. It may work for a some highly suggestible people but for 90% It probably won’t. The suggestions need to include metaphors and binds and double binds, indirect suggestions, questions, statements, truism etc.. This all takes skill and knowledge and ability to pull out all these wonderful plays on words on cue.

Quality of The Hypnotic script

A hypnotic script is like the map of words a hypnotherapist would use to get you into a trance, deepen that trance, therapy, suggest change, reinforce the suggestions, bring you out of the trance and plant post-hypnotic suggestion. Let me be clear, this is a skill not everyone has got and can do well.  There are so many methods and a good hypnotherapist will know how to do most of them if not all and well.  I am still surprised to learn that some hypnotherapist uses one type and one type only.  It would make them good at that one type of therapy for sure.  But it’s not about them it’s about the client and most of the time the client needs a range.  We try and incorporate as many therapists in one download that we can, we just find you get better results and that’s what we are all here for right?

Conflicting suggestions

The conflicting suggestion is when we hypnotherapist suggests one thing but a conflicting suggestion is delivered by other means.

Let me explain

We go in and out of trance all day, we ‘tune in and tune out’. These times can be when we are reading or watching a movie, staring at our phones. or staring out the window on a bus or a train and it gently rocks you side by side and 3 billboard went by showing how happy people are eating KFC, you get home and add comes on the TV promoting how fun it is to be eating at Mc Donalds with your friends.

Be there is more

If you are shocked or scared whatever is suggested straight after can also affect you, peer pressure, people in positions of power, repetition of the suggestion or following the crowd.

Follow up sessions for Hypnosis downloads can help negate the unwanted suggestions we are bombarded with on a daily basis.

Willingness to change

If a client is unwilling to change then hypnotherapy won’t last or work.  Because hypnosis works with your mind and the part of you that wants the change you need actually want it.  Sometimes we want the change but there is some resistance.  This resistance may be because of a deep unconscious reason, your mind is protecting you by behaving the way it is, association with the change is negative or associated with pain or there is a secondary gain with keeping the unhealthy habits or behaviors.

For example, one lady was housebound.  She was too scared to go out of her house and to sick to work. A therapist came to her and started working with her. A family member supports her finally and a friend did you grocery shopping.  Despite all this support and help, she got worse.  The client deep down didn’t really want to change, and everyone around her was enabling her to stay stuck where she was.  Once the hypnotherapist worked on the part of the client that wanted to change and the part that didn’t want to change and helped the client feel like it’s safe to change she made incredible and super fast changes.  Now I’m happy to say the client runs a very successful international business.

Hypnosis can help with a number of different issues, check out this post for a little more insight; Can Hypnosis Cure Overeating: A Guide On The Overeating Mind

How to get the best out a hypnotherapy session

There are some factors you should know about how you can get the best out of your experience and how you can make hypnotherapy work for you.

1. Find a qualified therapist and try them first before committing to anything. How active are they and do they provide quality information like in this post.  Can you see their qualifications and do they have reviews. Are yourself can I trust this person and do I feel comfortable.
2. Be open: My biggest advice is to be open and curious about the whole process. Hypnotherapy and hypnosis are a wonderful and amazing experience that can be life-changing. Give it a try, what have you got to lose.

How long does a session last

On average most session last from 60 mins to 2 hours depending on the therapist.  In that session, your hypnotherapist will talk to you about what you wanted to change and why and then about 20-30 mins of that session on average is actual hypnosis. If you are going for the Hypnotherapy download route then you cut out all the chat and just get pure hypnotherapy in your session.  So if the MP3 download is 30 mins then you get 30 mins of hypnotherapy.

How long can you stay hypnotized?

As long as you want and are experienced too. At some point the person in hypnosis can become more aware and subconsciously knows they have life to get on with so will ‘come out of trance’ at a natural time and pace for them.. for example deep sleep hypnosis you put on when you go to bed and you naturally wake in the morning so how it long it lasts scientifically is unknown but I would say most people around an hour with the guidance of a hypnotherapist.  If you are practiced at Hypnosis then you could possibly last l; longer. Look at meditation as an example, those who are deeply practiced can sit in a meditative state all day.  I always wonder how they wee or eat!