Insomnia is one of the most common conditions in modern society. The main characteristics include difficulty falling asleep, achieving restful sleep, and maintaining sleep after falling asleep. Insomnia may lead to a series of issues including fatigue, memory loss, inattention, cognitive decline, anxiety, tension, and poor social interactions. Insomnia is also considered a risk factor for other major health conditions. Acupuncture has been reported as an effective and safe treatment for insomnia through many studies. A systematic review of 46 randomized controlled trials involving 3,811 patients summarized that acupuncture as compared to no treatment, sham acupuncture, or medication, significantly improved in quality and duration of sleep. Acupuncture is used to treat insomnia at various hospitals across the United States including Memorial Sloan Kettering, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins and more.
References:
Cao, H., Pan, X., Li, H., & Liu, J. (2009). Acupuncture for treatment of insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 15(11), 1171–1186.
Zhang, M., Zhao, J., Li, X., Chen, X., Xie, J., Meng, L., & Gao, X. (2019). Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for insomnia: Protocol for a systematic review. Medicine, 98(45), e17842.