The Calm Gut App — Frequently Asked Questions

There’s no strict rule — everyone has different preferences. However, if you tend to fall asleep during sessions, it’s worth trying a seated position, as staying awake and engaged supports the full therapeutic benefit.

This is completely normal — please don't worry about it. When you notice your mind has wandered, simply and gently bring your attention back to the recording and continue from there. As you practise more, you'll find it becomes easier to let go of internal distractions.

Yes — absolutely. Most people can be hypnotised. Entering hypnosis is similar to daydreaming — if you can relax your mind or engage your imagination, you can experience hypnosis.

The state itself is best described as an inwardly focused, absorbed state — completely natural and normal.

Hypnosis is a very safe practice when used appropriately and responsibly. Safety and integrity are always prioritised within The Calm Gut. Please be aware of the following:

Do not listen to hypnosis recordings while driving or operating machinery. These recordings are designed for relaxation and therapeutic use in a safe environment. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent medical conditions. If you are unsure about suitability, please consult a healthcare professional before listening. Do not stop taking any prescribed medication without medical guidance.

This varies from person to person, but most clinical programmes of gut-directed hypnotherapy run over several weeks, with people typically beginning to notice changes within a few sessions. Consistency matters — regular practice tends to produce better results than occasional listening.

The encouraging news is that results are often long-lasting. The longest current study shows improvements maintained for up to five years after completing a program.

This is a very common experience. Each session can feel slightly different, and it can also vary from person to person.

Sometimes it can feel like a dream-like state; at other times it may feel as though you’re simply relaxed and focused. Both are valid — if you followed the guidance and engaged with the session, you were likely in hypnosis.

Both involve a relaxed, inwardly focused state — but they have different aims. Hypnotherapy is primarily therapeutic and goal-directed: it uses specific suggestions to bring about particular changes in how your body or mind functions. Meditation typically focuses on cultivating present-moment awareness and a quietened mind, without directing that state toward a specific outcome. Hypnosis is more active and purposeful in its approach.

Listening in the evening can be a lovely way to wind down, while starting your morning with a session can help set a calmer tone for the day. There’s no strict rule — experiment with different times and find what works best for your routine.

Sometimes deep hypnosis can feel very similar to sleep. If you wake up at the end of the session, you likely didn’t fully fall asleep — you may have been in a deeper hypnotic state while still absorbing the suggestions.

If you don’t hear the end, you may have drifted into sleep. In that case, you’ll have absorbed the suggestions up to that point.

If this happens regularly, try listening when you’re less tired or sitting upright rather than lying down.
If you don't hear the count-up at the end, you likely did drift into sleep at some point. In that case, you'll have absorbed the suggestions up to that point. If this happens regularly, try listening when you're less tired, or sit upright rather than lying down.

CBT — Cognitive Behavioural Therapy — is a form of psychological treatment that works with the link between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It's one of the most well-researched and widely used forms of therapy, generally because it's short-term, goal-oriented, practical, and has a strong evidence base.

Your thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and IBS symptoms are all connected. CBT aims to help you recognise and challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs about your symptoms that may be contributing to — and perpetuating — the cycle of IBS.

For example, the more you focus on and worry about your gut symptoms, the more anxious you become, which in turn increases your sensitivity to pain. A simple way to understand this is the mosquito bite analogy: the more you focus on the bite, the more it itches. The more it itches, the more you scratch it — and the worse it gets. CBT helps you break that cycle.

The Calm Gut App can be accessed on your phone or via web browser.

Download the app by searching "The Calm Gut" in the App Store or Google Play, then sign in with the same email address and password you used to set up your subscription.

If you signed up via the website

Access the web browser version by logging in at thecalmgut.web.app/home using the same email and password.

If you signed up via App Store or Google Play

Please email the support team at support@breakthroughapps.io with details of the issue you're facing and they'll get back to you as soon as possible (Monday to Friday).

Open Settings → tap your name → Subscriptions. Your trial end date will be shown if you're currently in a trial period.

If you subscribed via the App Store (iOS)

Open Google Play Store → tap the menu icon → Subscriptions.

If you subscribed via Google Play (Android)

Log in at thecalmgut.web.app/subscription → select the menu icon (upper right) → My Subscription. If you're in a trial, the "Renew on" date shows your trial end date.

If you subscribed via the website