Published Paper Details:

Abstract Sleep disturbances are prevalent among young adults, primarily due to academic stress, irregular routines, and technology use. Conventional treatments like pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) face limitations in safety, accessibility, and adherence. Acupuncture, a core modality in Traditional Chinese Medicine, has emerged as a safe and effective complementary approach. This narrative review synthesizes recent clinical and mechanistic evidence on acupuncture's efficacy in improving sleep quality among young adults. Findings from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses indicate significant improvements in both subjective measures (PSQI, ISI) and objective sleep parameters (TST, SE, REM). Mechanisms include modulation of neurotransmitters (GABA, serotonin, melatonin), regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and restoration of autonomic balance. Commonly used acupoints such as HT7, SP6, GV20, and PC6 demonstrate consistent therapeutic benefits. Acupuncture is comparably effective to CBT-I and pharmacotherapy, with fewer adverse effects and sustained post-treatment benefits. Despite methodological limitations and limited age-specific data, current evidence supports acupuncture as a viable non-pharmacological intervention for improving sleep quality in young adults.