Traditional Chinese medicine, from which acupuncture originates, often addresses insomnia as a symptom of an underlying imbalance in the body, such as yin-yang imbalance or Qi disruption.
There are some studies that suggest acupuncture can be beneficial for insomnia:
- A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reviewed eight randomized controlled trials involving 587 participants and found that acupuncture was associated with a significant improvement in sleep quality compared to sham acupuncture or no treatment.
- A study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences found that acupuncture significantly reduced sleep disturbances in patients with depression and insomnia.
- A review published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine examined 46 studies involving over 3,800 participants and found that acupuncture was associated with a significant improvement in sleep quality compared to no treatment.
However, more research is needed to fully understand the effects of acupuncture on insomnia.