Data were collected from November 2001 to January 2003 from a wide range of electronic databases. Half the studies that met the researchers criteria had small samples (50 subjects or fewer), which were composed mainly of older women who had a variable duration of insomnia from three days to 34 years.
The main methods used to assess outcomes were questionnaires. All the studies reported statistically significant positive results.
The results of this review suggest that acupuncture may be an effective intervention for the relief of insomnia. Further research, using a randomized clinical trial design, is necessary to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture. More work is also needed to promote the long-term therapeutic effects of acupuncture and to compare it with other therapies for insomnia.
