Overview
- The peer-reviewed JAMA Network Open trial enrolled 250 postmenopausal women at two U.S. sites, with a mean age of 56 and about one-quarter with a history of breast cancer.
- Participants used a ~20-minute daily self-administered hypnosis audio for six weeks versus an active white-noise sham labeled as hypnosis, with assessments at six and 12 weeks.
- Hot-flash scores fell 53% with hypnosis compared with 41% with the sham at six weeks, with larger early reductions reported among breast cancer survivors.
- Improvements were maintained at 12 weeks, and the hypnosis group reported better sleep, less daily interference from symptoms, and higher global ratings of benefit.
- Greater adherence was linked to larger gains, though mechanisms remain unclear and a prespecified overall symptom-trajectory analysis did not reach statistical significance.