The hypnotic phenomenon, which is a very natural state that we all very well know because we all regularly experience it, is not a sleep state but it is what is called an altered state of consciousness, like dreaming, relaxing, meditation etc. What is called “hypnotic trance” is actually a modification of the normal alertness state, which allows us to think and reason in our every day life.
But, unlike the state of normal alertness, in an hypnotic state our brain – which is particularly active – produces itself information by gathering images and pictures in our unconscious. It is a kind of “unconscious dream”. Moreover, whereas in a state of normal alertness our attention deals with many points of interest at the same time, going back and forth between them very quickly, in a state of hypnosis, it is concentrated on a very specific subject.