Acupressure and Sleep Quality: Exploring Its Role in the Management of Insomnia and Sleep Disturbances

Abstract

Sleep is a fundamental component of physical and psychological health, yet insomnia and other sleep disturbances affect a substantial proportion of the population. Persistent difficulties with sleep initiation, sleep maintenance, early awakening, and non-restorative sleep can impair daytime functioning, emotional well-being, cognitive performance, and quality of life. Although behavioral and pharmacological approaches remain central to insomnia management, interest in complementary and non-pharmacological interventions has increased because of concerns regarding medication-related adverse effects, long-term use, and incomplete treatment response. Acupressure is a non-invasive complementary intervention involving pressure or stimulation of selected points of the body and has attracted growing scientific interest as a potential approach to improving sleep. This review examines the relationship between acupressure and sleep quality, focusing on possible mechanisms, clinical applications, evidence of effectiveness, safety, methodological limitations, and future research directions. Proposed mechanisms include modulation of autonomic nervous-system activity, reduction of physiological arousal, regulation of stress-related processes, sensory modulation, relaxation, and indirect effects mediated through improvements in anxiety and pain. Clinical studies have reported potential improvements in subjective sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep onset, and daytime functioning among selected populations. It should not replace appropriate diagnosis and evidence-based treatment for persistent or clinically significant insomnia. Future research should emphasize well-designed randomized controlled trials, standardized intervention protocols, objective sleep measurements, longer follow-up, identification of responsive patient subgroups, and evaluation of self-administered and wearable approaches. A stronger evidence base could establish the specific circumstances in which acupressure offers clinically meaningful benefits for sleep health.