[Acupuncture for perimenopausal early-wake insomnia: a randomized controlled trial]

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Sleep Medicine
• Women's Health

Background:

• Perimenopausal early-wake insomnia is a common sleep disorder affecting women during hormonal transitions.
• Effective management strategies for perimenopausal sleep disturbances are crucial for improving quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treating early-wake insomnia associated with perimenopause.
• To compare the effectiveness of acupuncture with oral oryzanol tablets for this condition.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 60 patients with perimenopausal early-wake insomnia.
• The observation group received acupuncture treatment, while the control group was treated with oryzanol tablets for 4 weeks.
• Sleep actigraphy (ACT), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and early-wake scores were used for assessment.

Main Results:

• Acupuncture significantly improved effective sleep time, sleep quality, and reduced wake-up frequency and duration (P<0.05).
• The acupuncture group showed superior outcomes in all measured sleep parameters compared to the oryzanol group (P<0.05).
• The total effective rate for acupuncture was 88.9%, significantly higher than 38.5% for oryzanol tablets (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Acupuncture is an effective treatment for perimenopausal early-wake insomnia, enhancing sleep duration and quality.
• Acupuncture demonstrates superior clinical effectiveness compared to oryzanol tablets for managing this specific sleep disorder.