Alternative Health Blog

In a study involving 47 patients with chronic insomnia, four courses of electroacupuncture therapy (a form of acupuncture) were found to be associated with improvements in sleep quality and social function during the daytime. Specifically, increases in slow wave sleep time and REM sleep time were found. One month post-treatment, the insomnia rebound rate was 23%. The authors conclude, "...electroacupuncture therapy could be a promising avenue of treatment for chronic insomnia." Additional research is warranted.   Reference:    "Electroacupuncture treatment of chronic insomniacs," Ruan JW, Wang CH, et al, Chin Med J (Eng), 2009; 122(23): 2869-73. (Address: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Department of Respiratory Medicine (Yan YS), First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China. Email: ruanjw@163.com ).