Can Acupuncture Help with Insomnia? What Research Tells Us

Can Acupuncture Help with Insomnia? What Research Tells Us-

Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking unrefreshed is something we see often in clinic. While sleep medications can help short term, many people are now asking about non-drug options — including acupuncture.

A well-known systematic review published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reviewed 46 randomized controlled trials involving over 3,800 patients with insomnia to better understand whether acupuncture can help.

What did the research find?

• Improved sleep quality: People receiving acupuncture reported better overall sleep quality compared with no treatment.
• More meaningful improvements: While average sleep time was similar to medication, more acupuncture patients experienced significant improvements in total sleep duration.
• Beyond placebo: Real acupuncture and acupressure performed better than sham (placebo) treatments.
• Best results with integrative care: Acupuncture combined with medication or herbal therapy was more effective than those treatments alone.
• Good safety profile: No serious acupuncture-related side effects were reported.

What does this mean clinically?

The research suggests acupuncture may support sleep by helping regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality — especially for people looking for a more holistic or integrative approach. That said, results vary, and ongoing high-quality research is still needed.

Our approach at Freedom Physio & Acupuncture Acupuncture

At Freedom Physio & Acupuncture, we take an individualised approach to sleep concerns. Acupuncture is often used alongside movement therapy, stress management strategies, and lifestyle guidance to support long-term sleep health — not just symptom relief.

If poor sleep is affecting your energy, recovery, or daily life, a personalised assessment can help determine whether acupuncture may be appropriate for you.