The article is devoted to the problem of studying and applying the phenomena of suggestion, auto-suggestion and altered states of consciousness in modern sports psychology. A brief excursion into the history of the use of altered states of consciousness in elite sports is given. The advantages, disadvantages, limitations and specificity of different methods using suggestion and auto-suggestion in the framework of psychological support for athletes of various sports are discussed. The article also raises questions about the methods of assessing the effectiveness of psychological and pedagogical interventions with athletes using hypnosis and self-hypnosis, as well as verification of suggestive influences at the psychophysiological level. Finally, the article discusses the ethical aspects of using altered states of consciousness in the framework of psychological support for athletes and the prospects for popularizing sports hypnosis.