Millions of women experience hot flashes during menopause — those sudden waves of heat that can leave you sweating, uncomfortable, and exhausted.
For many, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an effective solution, but it’s not safe for everyone, especially breast cancer survivors. Now, a new clinical trial led by researchers at Baylor University offers hope through an unexpected method: daily self-hypnosis.
The study, led by Dr. Gary R. Elkins, a psychology and neuroscience professor and director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory at Baylor, found that listening to a short hypnosis audio every day can significantly reduce hot flashes — without the use of medication.
Women who used the self-guided hypnosis recordings reported more than a 50% drop in both the frequency and severity of their hot flashes. Published in JAMA Network Open, the study involved 250 postmenopausal women who experienced frequent and intense hot flashes.
Nearly one-fourth of them were breast cancer survivors, a group that often cannot use hormone-based treatments because of cancer risks. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group listened to daily hypnosis recordings designed to promote relaxation and temperature regulation, while the other listened to white noise as a placebo.
Both groups continued this routine for six weeks. The results were striking. After six weeks, women who practiced self-hypnosis had a 53% reduction in hot flashes, compared with about 41% for those who listened to white noise. The benefits didn’t stop there.
At the 12-week mark, women in the hypnosis group reported a 61% drop in hot flashes — and even better improvements in sleep, mood, and overall quality of life. For breast cancer survivors, the results were even more dramatic. Their hot flashes dropped by nearly two-thirds (64%) after six weeks of daily self-hypnosis.
Dr. Elkins described the outcome as a major breakthrough for women seeking safe, drug-free ways to manage menopause symptoms. He explained that hypnosis is a powerful mind-body technique that can help people gain control over physical sensations.
It works by guiding the listener into a deeply relaxed state where the brain becomes more open to suggestions — in this case, suggestions to feel cool, calm, and comfortable. The beauty of self-guided hypnosis, he added, is that it’s easy to learn and can be practiced at home without the need for clinic visits.
Unlike hormone therapy, which can have side effects and risks, hypnosis is safe, affordable, and accessible. It can also help with other issues such as anxiety, sleep problems, chronic pain, and stress.
Once learned, women can continue using it anytime they need relief. The study is also notable because it used an ‘active control’ — white noise — instead of a simple waitlist or relaxation comparison.
This allowed scientists to measure how much of the benefit was due to hypnosis itself rather than expectation or placebo effects. The fact that hypnosis showed much stronger results strengthens the case that it genuinely helps regulate the body’s temperature responses.
At the end of the trial, nearly 90% of the women who practiced hypnosis said they felt better, compared with about 64% in the control group. Many reported sleeping through the night for the first time in years and feeling calmer and more focused during the day.
Dr. Elkins and his team are continuing their research to better understand how self-hypnosis works and how it can be used to support women during the menopause transition and after breast cancer treatment. Their next studies will look at how hypnosis improves sleep quality and emotional wellbeing in the long term.
The researchers emphasized that hypnotherapy is currently the only behavioral treatment shown to reduce hot flashes to a clinically significant degree. For millions of women who either cannot or prefer not to take hormones, this method offers real relief and a sense of control over their bodies.
In summary, this study shows that something as simple as a daily 15-minute hypnosis recording could make a huge difference in women’s lives. It gives them a non-drug, easy-to-use tool to cool down, rest better, and feel more comfortable during menopause — all from the comfort of their own homes.
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The study is published in AMA Network Open.
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